Cost of Living Comparison Between Kaohsiung and Keelung Cost of Living Comparison Between Kaohsiung and Keelung

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,159 in Kaohsiung versus $1,269 in Keelung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,912 in Kaohsiung versus $2,047 in Keelung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,666 in Kaohsiung versus $2,824 in Keelung.

Living in Kaohsiung costs roughly 9% less than in Keelung, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kaohsiung 13% lower, Keelung 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.16 NT$134

$5.18 NT$167

-19.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.09 NT$1,101

$30.17 NT$974

12.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.46 NT$176

$5.33 NT$172

2.44%

Cappuccino

$2.99 NT$96.5

$2.97 NT$95.8

0.67%

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

$1.03 NT$33.19

$1.11 NT$35.98

-7.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 NT$23.25

$0.79 NT$25.64

-8.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.66 NT$53.7

$2.18 NT$70.4

-23.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 NT$89.5

$2.94 NT$95.0

-5.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.54 NT$114

$3.45 NT$111

2.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 NT$66.7

$1.56 NT$50.4

32.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.60 NT$84.0

$1.19 NT$38.56

118.49%

Eggs

$3.32 NT$107

$2.38 NT$77.0

39.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.78 NT$510

$31.14 NT$1,006

-49.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.24 NT$298

$5.93 NT$191

55.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.93 NT$579

$15.58 NT$503

15.08%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 NT$194

$4.59 NT$148

30.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 NT$83.5

$1.81 NT$58.4

43.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 NT$89.9

$2.22 NT$71.6

25.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 NT$130

$3.07 NT$99.1

31.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.98 NT$96.3

$1.33 NT$43.10

124.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 NT$72.5

$1.91 NT$61.5

17.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 NT$61.9

$2.28 NT$73.5

-15.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 NT$36.95

$1.28 NT$41.42

-10.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.34 NT$140

$3.95 NT$128

9.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.18 NT$490

$9.05 NT$292

67.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 NT$53.4

$1.21 NT$39.13

36.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 NT$79.2

$2.66 NT$86.0

-7.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 NT$26.16

$0.53 NT$17.06

52.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.16 NT$877

$66.6 NT$2,150

-59.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 NT$94.8

$2.81 NT$90.9

4.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 NT$23.55

$1.19 NT$38.39

-38.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 NT$195

$10.30 NT$333

-41.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 NT$34.53

$1.00 NT$32.37

7.00%

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

$34.2K NT$1.1M

$33.6K NT$1.1M

1.70%

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

$25.7K NT$831.4K

$25.4K NT$820.5K

1.33%

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

$105 NT$3,391

$43.58 NT$1,407

140.94%

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

$25.44 NT$821

$24.59 NT$794

3.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.82 NT$802

$11.73 NT$379

111.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.49 NT$1,243

$37.84 NT$1,222

1.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.37 NT$367

$34.48 NT$1,113

-67.02%

Cinema Ticket

$10.36 NT$335

$8.33 NT$269

24.37%

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

$427 NT$13.8K

$354 NT$11.4K

20.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K NT$364.0K

$20.4K NT$658.5K

-44.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.0 NT$3,067

$85.8 NT$2,770

10.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.22 NT$1,170

$34.98 NT$1,130

3.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 NT$2,886

$51.4 NT$1,661

73.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 NT$3,317

$33.24 NT$1,073

209.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 NT$14.5K

$607 NT$19.6K

-26.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 NT$9,030

$504 NT$16.3K

-44.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$925 NT$29.9K

$1,120 NT$36.2K

-17.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$690 NT$22.3K

$1,032 NT$33.3K

-33.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,510 NT$145.6K

$3,290 NT$106.2K

37.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,159 NT$102.0K

$2,312 NT$74.7K

36.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,463 NT$47.2K

$2,450 NT$79.1K

-40.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.3

2.18

5.50%

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

Last update for Kaohsiung: July 27, 2026

Last update for Keelung: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $448 in Kaohsiung and $607 in Keelung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Keelung pays 67% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $34.00 in Kaohsiung vs $30.00 in Keelung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $382 vs $354 per month, with Keelung 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 Keelung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kaohsiung and Keelung differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($1,159 vs $1,269 including rent). Kaohsiung is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 67% lower in Keelung. 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 $607 in Keelung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $427 in Kaohsiung versus $354 in Keelung. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Keelung pay roughly 8% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,159 in Kaohsiung versus $1,269 in Keelung, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kaohsiung but tight or insufficient in Keelung. The gap between the two cities makes Kaohsiung 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 Keelung 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 Kaohsiung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Keelung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.