Cost of Living Comparison Between Kaohsiung and Douliu Cost of Living Comparison Between Kaohsiung and Douliu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,149 per month in Kaohsiung vs $1,178 in Douliu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,925 per month in Kaohsiung vs $1,970 in Douliu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,701 per month in Kaohsiung vs $2,762 in Douliu, rent included.

Kaohsiung is about 2% cheaper than Douliu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kaohsiung and Douliu are more affordable than the global median – Kaohsiung 14% lower, Douliu 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.03 NT$127

$4.06 NT$128

-0.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.84 NT$1,065

$23.60 NT$743

43.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.54 NT$174

$5.80 NT$183

-4.48%

Cappuccino

$3.08 NT$96.8

$3.76 NT$118

-18.09%

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

$1.02 NT$32.01

$1.18 NT$37.06

-13.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 NT$24.41

$0.73 NT$22.87

6.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 NT$54.1

$3.42 NT$108

-49.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 NT$87.2

$3.42 NT$108

-19.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.62 NT$114

$3.15 NT$99.2

14.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 NT$64.5

$1.98 NT$62.3

3.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.76 NT$86.8

$3.03 NT$95.5

-8.91%

Eggs

$3.21 NT$101

$2.95 NT$92.7

8.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.85 NT$499

$20.24 NT$637

-21.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.05 NT$285

$9.96 NT$313

-9.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.92 NT$564

$20.40 NT$642

-12.16%

Apples (1kg)

$6.00 NT$189

$5.25 NT$165

14.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 NT$81.2

$2.84 NT$89.5

-9.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.77 NT$87.1

$2.85 NT$89.6

-2.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 NT$131

$4.16 NT$131

-0.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.99 NT$94.0

$2.80 NT$88.0

6.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 NT$69.7

$2.24 NT$70.5

-1.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 NT$61.2

$1.88 NT$59.3

3.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 NT$36.44

$1.37 NT$43.17

-15.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.34 NT$137

$4.03 NT$127

7.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.85 NT$499

$14.52 NT$457

9.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 NT$54.5

$1.82 NT$57.3

-4.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 NT$80.0

$2.39 NT$75.4

6.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 NT$25.70

$0.88 NT$27.78

-6.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.88 NT$846

$39.46 NT$1,242

-31.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 NT$93.0

$2.84 NT$89.5

3.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 NT$22.97

$0.78 NT$24.63

-6.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 NT$188

$10.03 NT$316

-40.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 NT$32.73

$1.07 NT$33.70

-2.80%

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

$33.9K NT$1.1M

$37.7K NT$1.2M

-10.02%

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

$25.1K NT$790.9K

$27.2K NT$855.4K

-7.53%

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

$104 NT$3,265

$85.6 NT$2,695

21.17%

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

$25.58 NT$805

$18.60 NT$585

37.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.14 NT$791

$25.43 NT$800

-1.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.16 NT$1,201

$37.14 NT$1,169

2.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.48 NT$361

$15.22 NT$479

-24.57%

Cinema Ticket

$10.07 NT$317

$12.05 NT$379

-16.43%

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

$431 NT$13.6K

$645 NT$20.3K

-33.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K NT$358.3K

$18.8K NT$590.5K

-39.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.9 NT$2,987

$58.7 NT$1,848

61.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.33 NT$1,112

$32.78 NT$1,032

7.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 NT$2,878

$92.7 NT$2,919

-1.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 NT$3,170

$124 NT$3,912

-18.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 NT$13.6K

$431 NT$13.6K

0.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 NT$8,866

$288 NT$9,054

-2.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$940 NT$29.6K

$1,052 NT$33.1K

-10.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$681 NT$21.4K

$713 NT$22.4K

-4.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,727 NT$148.8K

$7,501 NT$236.1K

-36.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,275 NT$103.1K

$5,325 NT$167.6K

-38.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,509 NT$47.5K

$2,632 NT$82.9K

-42.66%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Douliu: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Kaohsiung versus $431 in Douliu. 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 74% higher in Douliu, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Kaohsiung versus $24.00 in Douliu. Groceries tell a different story – $385 in Kaohsiung vs $402 in Douliu – so Kaohsiung wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Douliu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Douliu costs about 3% more than Kaohsiung, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,724 per month in Kaohsiung and $1,767 in Douliu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Kaohsiung and $24.00 in Douliu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,149 in Kaohsiung and $1,178 in Douliu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kaohsiung, where all-in costs run around $1,149, than in Douliu at $1,178. In Kaohsiung it covers expenses comfortably, while in Douliu it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kaohsiung – 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 Kaohsiung. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Douliu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.