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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,148 per month in Kaohsiung vs $1,191 in Hsinchu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,899 per month in Kaohsiung vs $1,918 in Hsinchu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,650 per month in Kaohsiung vs $2,645 in Hsinchu, rent included.

Kaohsiung is about 4% cheaper than Hsinchu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kaohsiung and Hsinchu are more affordable than the global median – Kaohsiung 14% lower, Hsinchu 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.11 NT$130

$4.09 NT$129

0.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.83 NT$1,071

$33.87 NT$1,072

-0.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.43 NT$172

$5.30 NT$168

2.45%

Cappuccino

$2.99 NT$94.8

$3.07 NT$97.1

-2.61%

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

$0.97 NT$30.80

$0.99 NT$31.40

-2.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 NT$22.94

$0.69 NT$21.71

4.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 NT$53.1

$1.67 NT$52.8

0.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 NT$88.2

$2.34 NT$74.0

19.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.43 NT$109

$3.28 NT$104

4.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.00 NT$63.3

$1.85 NT$58.6

8.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.61 NT$82.6

$4.50 NT$142

-42.00%

Eggs

$3.30 NT$105

$2.49 NT$78.9

32.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.13 NT$511

$13.70 NT$434

17.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 NT$299

$4.96 NT$157

90.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.56 NT$556

$16.07 NT$508

9.27%

Apples (1kg)

$6.20 NT$196

$4.49 NT$142

38.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 NT$81.9

$2.54 NT$80.5

1.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.86 NT$90.4

$2.87 NT$90.8

-0.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 NT$127

$3.95 NT$125

1.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 NT$92.1

$3.05 NT$96.4

-4.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 NT$70.5

$2.20 NT$69.8

1.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 NT$61.6

$1.93 NT$61.2

1.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 NT$37.74

$1.14 NT$36.15

4.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 NT$143

$4.49 NT$142

0.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.61 NT$494

$14.38 NT$455

8.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 NT$52.8

$1.74 NT$55.1

-4.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 NT$81.0

$2.58 NT$81.7

-0.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 NT$26.01

$0.90 NT$28.40

-8.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.95 NT$853

$40.39 NT$1,278

-33.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 NT$92.1

$2.91 NT$92.2

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 NT$25.16

$0.74 NT$23.44

6.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.12 NT$194

$6.21 NT$197

-1.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 NT$32.54

$1.03 NT$32.71

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

$34.9K NT$1.1M

$34.2K NT$1.1M

1.96%

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

$25.6K NT$811.5K

$25.0K NT$790.1K

2.71%

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

$102 NT$3,239

$74.2 NT$2,350

37.84%

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

$25.62 NT$811

$25.03 NT$792

2.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.09 NT$794

$25.51 NT$807

-1.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.67 NT$1,255

$44.10 NT$1,396

-10.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.12 NT$352

$23.28 NT$737

-52.23%

Cinema Ticket

$9.98 NT$316

$10.02 NT$317

-0.40%

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

$431 NT$13.7K

$423 NT$13.4K

1.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K NT$362.6K

$11.3K NT$359.2K

0.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.4 NT$3,083

$88.9 NT$2,813

9.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.83 NT$1,134

$35.16 NT$1,113

1.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 NT$2,788

$90.7 NT$2,870

-2.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 NT$3,276

$103 NT$3,275

0.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 NT$14.0K

$551 NT$17.4K

-19.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$279 NT$8,843

$368 NT$11.6K

-24.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$960 NT$30.4K

$1,238 NT$39.2K

-22.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$686 NT$21.7K

$796 NT$25.2K

-13.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,630 NT$146.5K

$8,354 NT$264.4K

-44.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,248 NT$102.8K

$6,175 NT$195.4K

-47.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,533 NT$48.5K

$2,621 NT$83.0K

-41.52%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Hsinchu: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $442 in Kaohsiung versus $551 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 71% 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 – $384 in Kaohsiung vs $340 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 4% 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 $1,722 per month in Kaohsiung and $1,786 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 50% less in Kaohsiung. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $431 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 $1,148, than in Hsinchu at $1,191. 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.