Cost of Living Comparison Between Kaohsiung and Chang-hua Cost of Living Comparison Between Kaohsiung and Chang-hua

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,148 per month in Kaohsiung vs $893 in Chang-hua, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,899 per month in Kaohsiung vs $1,354 in Chang-hua, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,650 per month in Kaohsiung vs $1,815 in Chang-hua, rent included.

Kaohsiung costs about 29% more than Chang-hua, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kaohsiung and Chang-hua are more affordable than the global median – Kaohsiung 14% lower, Chang-hua 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.11 NT$130

$3.66 NT$116

12.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.83 NT$1,068

$27.38 NT$864

23.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.43 NT$172

$5.86 NT$185

-7.34%

Cappuccino

$2.99 NT$94.5

$1.79 NT$56.6

67.04%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 NT$30.72

$0.87 NT$27.34

11.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 NT$22.88

$0.44 NT$13.78

63.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 NT$53.0

$1.51 NT$47.69

11.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 NT$88.0

$2.07 NT$65.2

34.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.43 NT$108

$2.73 NT$86.3

25.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.00 NT$63.1

$1.94 NT$61.3

3.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.61 NT$82.4

$3.05 NT$96.2

-14.43%

Eggs

$3.30 NT$104

$2.78 NT$87.6

18.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.13 NT$509

$17.35 NT$548

-7.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 NT$298

$7.98 NT$252

18.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.56 NT$554

$20.52 NT$648

-14.42%

Apples (1kg)

$6.20 NT$196

$5.15 NT$162

20.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 NT$81.7

$3.00 NT$94.7

-13.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.86 NT$90.2

$2.90 NT$91.4

-1.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 NT$126

$3.19 NT$101

25.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 NT$91.9

$2.71 NT$85.5

7.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 NT$70.3

$2.16 NT$68.3

3.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 NT$61.4

$1.91 NT$60.4

2.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 NT$37.64

$0.81 NT$25.51

46.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 NT$143

$3.99 NT$126

13.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.61 NT$493

$9.25 NT$292

68.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 NT$52.6

$1.51 NT$47.60

10.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 NT$80.8

$2.35 NT$74.2

8.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 NT$25.94

$1.72 NT$54.3

-52.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.95 NT$851

$37.17 NT$1,173

-27.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 NT$91.8

$2.84 NT$89.7

2.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 NT$25.09

$0.75 NT$23.65

5.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.12 NT$193

$10.10 NT$319

-39.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 NT$32.46

$1.02 NT$32.35

0.98%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$34.9K NT$1.1M

$38.4K NT$1.2M

-9.14%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.6K NT$809.5K

$26.4K NT$833.5K

-2.89%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$102 NT$3,231

$33.73 NT$1,065

203.38%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$25.62 NT$809

$19.01 NT$600

34.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.09 NT$792

$20.40 NT$644

22.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.67 NT$1,252

$25.71 NT$812

54.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.12 NT$351

$14.87 NT$470

-25.22%

Cinema Ticket

$9.98 NT$315

$10.08 NT$318

-0.99%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$431 NT$13.6K

$637 NT$20.1K

-32.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K NT$361.7K

$8,489 NT$268.0K

34.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.4 NT$3,075

$55.1 NT$1,740

76.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.83 NT$1,131

$16.48 NT$520

117.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 NT$2,781

$84.8 NT$2,677

3.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 NT$3,268

$55.2 NT$1,744

87.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 NT$13.9K

$310 NT$9,779

42.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$279 NT$8,821

$184 NT$5,797

52.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$960 NT$30.3K

$536 NT$16.9K

79.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$686 NT$21.7K

$184 NT$5,818

272.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,630 NT$146.2K

$3,080 NT$97.2K

50.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,248 NT$102.5K

$1,678 NT$53.0K

93.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,533 NT$48.4K

$2,075 NT$65.5K

-26.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.3

2.19

5.02%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Kaohsiung: April 25, 2026

Last update for Chang-hua: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $442 in Kaohsiung versus $310 in Chang-hua. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 35% higher in Chang-hua, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Kaohsiung versus $27.00 in Chang-hua. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $384 vs $355 – making Chang-hua the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Kaohsiung vs Chang-hua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kaohsiung costs about 29% more than Chang-hua, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,722 per month in Kaohsiung and $1,339 in Chang-hua. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chang-hua, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,148 in Kaohsiung and $893 in Chang-hua. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 38% less in Chang-hua. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chang-hua, where all-in costs run around $893, than in Kaohsiung at $1,148. In Chang-hua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kaohsiung it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chang-hua – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chang-hua. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kaohsiung makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.