Cost of Living Comparison Between Kaohsiung and Chiayi Cost of Living Comparison Between Kaohsiung and Chiayi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,159 in Kaohsiung versus $1,149 in Chiayi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,912 in Kaohsiung versus $1,950 in Chiayi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,666 in Kaohsiung versus $2,751 in Chiayi.

Living in Kaohsiung is roughly 1% more expensive than in Chiayi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kaohsiung 13% lower, Chiayi 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.16 NT$134

$6.71 NT$217

-38.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.09 NT$1,101

$40.61 NT$1,311

-16.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.46 NT$176

$5.88 NT$190

-7.14%

Cappuccino

$2.99 NT$96.5

$2.24 NT$72.2

33.48%

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

$1.03 NT$33.19

$1.16 NT$37.59

-11.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 NT$23.25

$0.77 NT$24.99

-6.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.66 NT$53.7

$1.88 NT$60.8

-11.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 NT$89.5

$2.98 NT$96.3

-7.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.54 NT$114

$3.21 NT$104

10.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 NT$66.7

$1.90 NT$61.3

8.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.60 NT$84.0

$3.03 NT$97.9

-14.19%

Eggs

$3.32 NT$107

$2.92 NT$94.2

13.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.78 NT$510

$19.98 NT$645

-21.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.24 NT$298

$9.89 NT$319

-6.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.93 NT$579

$20.10 NT$649

-10.80%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 NT$194

$5.12 NT$165

16.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 NT$83.5

$2.87 NT$92.6

-9.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 NT$89.9

$2.76 NT$89.0

0.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 NT$130

$4.12 NT$133

-2.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.98 NT$96.3

$2.83 NT$91.5

5.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 NT$72.5

$2.17 NT$70.2

3.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 NT$61.9

$1.88 NT$60.6

2.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 NT$36.95

$1.33 NT$42.92

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.34 NT$140

$4.06 NT$131

6.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.18 NT$490

$4.78 NT$154

217.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 NT$53.4

$1.79 NT$58.0

-7.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 NT$79.2

$2.43 NT$78.3

0.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 NT$26.16

$0.84 NT$27.07

-3.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.16 NT$877

$39.58 NT$1,278

-31.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 NT$94.8

$2.93 NT$94.6

0.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 NT$23.55

$0.42 NT$13.43

73.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 NT$195

$10.02 NT$324

-39.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 NT$34.53

$1.04 NT$33.56

2.88%

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

$34.2K NT$1.1M

$37.9K NT$1.2M

-9.76%

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

$25.7K NT$831.4K

$27.4K NT$883.6K

-5.91%

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

$105 NT$3,391

$72.4 NT$2,338

45.05%

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

$25.44 NT$821

$19.02 NT$614

33.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.82 NT$802

$24.90 NT$804

-0.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.49 NT$1,243

$37.31 NT$1,205

3.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.37 NT$367

$15.33 NT$495

-25.83%

Cinema Ticket

$10.36 NT$335

$11.98 NT$387

-13.52%

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

$427 NT$13.8K

$644 NT$20.8K

-33.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K NT$364.0K

$18.5K NT$596.1K

-38.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.0 NT$3,067

$59.1 NT$1,907

60.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.22 NT$1,170

$32.77 NT$1,058

10.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 NT$2,886

$91.9 NT$2,969

-2.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 NT$3,317

$123 NT$3,987

-16.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 NT$14.5K

$426 NT$13.8K

5.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 NT$9,030

$290 NT$9,369

-3.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$925 NT$29.9K

$1,042 NT$33.6K

-11.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$690 NT$22.3K

$720 NT$23.3K

-4.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,510 NT$145.6K

$3,045 NT$98.3K

48.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,159 NT$102.0K

$1,834 NT$59.2K

72.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,463 NT$47.2K

$2,116 NT$68.3K

-30.87%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chiayi: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $448 in Kaohsiung and $426 in Chiayi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiayi pays 45% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $34.00 in Kaohsiung vs $41.00 in Chiayi. Groceries flip the comparison at $382 vs $379, with Chiayi cheaper for home cooking.

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 Chiayi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiayi wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Kaohsiung. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiayi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 45% lower in Chiayi. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $448 in Kaohsiung versus $426 in Chiayi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,159 per month in Kaohsiung versus $1,149 in Chiayi – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiayi runs roughly 46% less than in Kaohsiung. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,149 in Chiayi versus $1,159 in Kaohsiung, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiayi but tight or insufficient in Kaohsiung. The gap between the two cities makes Chiayi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Kaohsiung and Chiayi are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiayi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Kaohsiung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.