Cost of Living Comparison Between Kaohsiung and Hsinchu Cost of Living Comparison Between Kaohsiung and Hsinchu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,159 per month in Kaohsiung vs $1,167 in Hsinchu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,912 per month in Kaohsiung vs $1,917 in Hsinchu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,666 per month in Kaohsiung vs $2,668 in Hsinchu, rent included.

Kaohsiung is about 1% cheaper than Hsinchu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kaohsiung and Hsinchu are more affordable than the global median – Kaohsiung 13% lower, Hsinchu 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.16 NT$134

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.09 NT$1,101

$33.92 NT$1,095

0.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.46 NT$176

$5.37 NT$174

1.68%

Cappuccino

$2.99 NT$96.5

$3.07 NT$99.0

-2.61%

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

$1.03 NT$33.19

$0.92 NT$29.71

11.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 NT$23.25

$0.69 NT$22.38

4.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.66 NT$53.7

$1.67 NT$53.9

-0.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 NT$89.5

$2.32 NT$74.8

19.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.54 NT$114

$3.18 NT$103

11.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 NT$66.7

$1.77 NT$57.2

16.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.60 NT$84.0

$4.34 NT$140

-40.09%

Eggs

$3.32 NT$107

$2.52 NT$81.4

31.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.78 NT$510

$14.13 NT$456

11.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.24 NT$298

$4.81 NT$155

92.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.93 NT$579

$15.96 NT$515

12.34%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 NT$194

$4.42 NT$143

35.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 NT$83.5

$2.44 NT$78.8

6.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 NT$89.9

$2.83 NT$91.4

-1.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 NT$130

$3.81 NT$123

5.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.98 NT$96.3

$2.93 NT$94.7

1.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 NT$72.5

$2.22 NT$71.8

0.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 NT$61.9

$1.86 NT$60.2

3.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 NT$36.95

$1.19 NT$38.38

-4.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.34 NT$140

$4.53 NT$146

-4.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.18 NT$490

$14.10 NT$455

7.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 NT$53.4

$1.71 NT$55.4

-3.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 NT$79.2

$2.53 NT$81.8

-3.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 NT$26.16

$0.87 NT$28.09

-6.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.16 NT$877

$40.57 NT$1,310

-33.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 NT$94.8

$2.91 NT$94.0

1.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 NT$23.55

$0.72 NT$23.36

1.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 NT$195

$6.17 NT$199

-2.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 NT$34.53

$1.03 NT$33.21

3.88%

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

$34.2K NT$1.1M

$35.2K NT$1.1M

-3.00%

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

$25.7K NT$831.4K

$24.9K NT$805.0K

3.29%

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

$105 NT$3,391

$74.1 NT$2,394

41.64%

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

$25.44 NT$821

$25.12 NT$811

1.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.82 NT$802

$24.61 NT$795

0.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.49 NT$1,243

$44.33 NT$1,431

-13.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.37 NT$367

$23.47 NT$758

-51.56%

Cinema Ticket

$10.36 NT$335

$10.16 NT$328

1.97%

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

$427 NT$13.8K

$423 NT$13.7K

0.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K NT$364.0K

$11.1K NT$359.8K

1.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.0 NT$3,067

$86.8 NT$2,804

9.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.22 NT$1,170

$35.85 NT$1,158

1.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 NT$2,886

$90.0 NT$2,906

-0.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 NT$3,317

$101 NT$3,258

1.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 NT$14.5K

$558 NT$18.0K

-19.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 NT$9,030

$361 NT$11.7K

-22.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$925 NT$29.9K

$1,199 NT$38.7K

-22.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$690 NT$22.3K

$789 NT$25.5K

-12.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,510 NT$145.6K

$8,213 NT$265.2K

-45.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,159 NT$102.0K

$6,061 NT$195.7K

-47.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,463 NT$47.2K

$2,474 NT$79.9K

-40.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.3

1.57

46.50%

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

Last update for Kaohsiung: July 27, 2026

Last update for Hsinchu: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $448 in Kaohsiung versus $558 in Hsinchu. 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 69% higher in Hsinchu, 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 $34.00 in Hsinchu. Groceries tell a different story – $382 in Kaohsiung vs $335 in Hsinchu – so Hsinchu 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 Hsinchu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hsinchu costs about 1% more than Kaohsiung, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,738 per month in Kaohsiung and $1,750 in Hsinchu. 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.

Public transport costs about 49% less in Kaohsiung. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $427 per month in Kaohsiung and $423 in Hsinchu. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kaohsiung, where all-in costs run around $1,159, than in Hsinchu at $1,167. In Kaohsiung it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hsinchu 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, Hsinchu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.