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: $1,107 in Kaohsiung versus $1,058 in Chiayi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,829 in Kaohsiung versus $1,497 in Chiayi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,551 in Kaohsiung versus $1,937 in Chiayi.

Living in Kaohsiung is roughly 5% more expensive than in Chiayi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kaohsiung 19% lower, Chiayi 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.50 NT$175

$4.83 NT$154

13.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.11 NT$1,022

$46.59 NT$1,483

-31.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 NT$154

$5.83 NT$186

-17.15%

Cappuccino

$2.81 NT$89.6

$3.53 NT$113

-20.40%

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

$1.08 NT$34.48

$0.85 NT$26.98

27.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 NT$21.33

$0.65 NT$20.81

3.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 NT$47.02

$2.85 NT$90.8

-48.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 NT$81.2

$3.68 NT$117

-30.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.25 NT$103

$3.12 NT$99.2

4.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 NT$72.3

$2.03 NT$64.8

11.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 NT$96.5

$3.08 NT$97.9

-1.62%

Eggs

$2.69 NT$85.7

$2.69 NT$85.6

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.37 NT$489

$19.52 NT$621

-21.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.86 NT$250

$9.56 NT$304

-17.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.16 NT$483

$21.35 NT$680

-28.99%

Apples (1kg)

$6.54 NT$208

$5.07 NT$161

28.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 NT$88.6

$3.43 NT$109

-18.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 NT$80.4

$3.16 NT$101

-20.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.13 NT$99.5

$4.57 NT$145

-31.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 NT$86.3

$2.70 NT$85.8

0.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 NT$64.9

$2.26 NT$71.8

-9.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 NT$74.9

$1.77 NT$56.4

32.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 NT$34.19

$1.12 NT$35.72

-4.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.07 NT$130

$3.84 NT$122

5.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.91 NT$507

$4.63 NT$147

243.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 NT$50.8

$1.72 NT$54.9

-7.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 NT$68.6

$2.29 NT$73.0

-6.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 NT$23.72

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.42 NT$395

$12.51 NT$398

-0.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 NT$86.9

$2.61 NT$83.1

4.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 NT$24.81

$0.46 NT$14.64

69.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.73 NT$182

$9.23 NT$294

-37.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 NT$33.66

$1.02 NT$32.49

3.92%

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

$33.2K NT$1.1M

$33.8K NT$1.1M

-1.58%

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

$23.1K NT$735.7K

$24.5K NT$778.3K

-5.47%

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

$84.7 NT$2,695

$65.8 NT$2,095

28.61%

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

$17.10 NT$544

$17.73 NT$564

-3.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.77 NT$820

$27.95 NT$890

-7.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.62 NT$1,293

$31.98 NT$1,018

27.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.32 NT$329

Cinema Ticket

$10.95 NT$349

$9.85 NT$314

11.17%

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

$474 NT$15.1K

$631 NT$20.1K

-24.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K NT$444.4K

$16.6K NT$527.0K

-15.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.5 NT$3,007

$63.4 NT$2,017

49.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.58 NT$1,069

$39.63 NT$1,262

-15.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.5 NT$2,753

$83.9 NT$2,672

3.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.8 NT$3,176

$104 NT$3,304

-3.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$407 NT$13.0K

$375 NT$11.9K

8.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$284 NT$9,042

$251 NT$7,981

13.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$998 NT$31.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$670 NT$21.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,684 NT$149.1K

$3,152 NT$100.3K

48.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,170 NT$100.9K

$1,883 NT$59.9K

68.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,439 NT$45.8K

$2,129 NT$67.8K

-32.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.56

2.4

6.67%

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

Last update for Kaohsiung: September 13, 2026

Last update for Chiayi: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $407 in Kaohsiung and $375 in Chiayi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiayi pays 48% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Kaohsiung vs $47.00 in Chiayi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $363 vs $382 per month, with Kaohsiung cheaper across the board.

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 5% 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 48% 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: $407 in Kaohsiung versus $375 in Chiayi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,107 per month in Kaohsiung versus $1,058 in Chiayi – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiayi runs roughly 1% less than in Kaohsiung. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,058 in Chiayi versus $1,107 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 5% less than in Kaohsiung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.