Cost of Living Comparison Between Kaohsiung and Miaoli Cost of Living Comparison Between Kaohsiung and Miaoli

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,114 in Kaohsiung versus $788 in Miaoli.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,853 in Kaohsiung versus $1,105 in Miaoli.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,591 in Kaohsiung versus $1,423 in Miaoli.

Living in Kaohsiung is roughly 41% more expensive than in Miaoli, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kaohsiung 19% lower, Miaoli 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.61 NT$177

$2.61 NT$82.5

114.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.91 NT$1,009

$24.16 NT$764

32.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 NT$151

$4.80 NT$152

-0.42%

Cappuccino

$2.83 NT$89.5

$3.06 NT$96.9

-7.52%

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

$1.13 NT$35.86

$0.88 NT$27.84

28.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 NT$23.20

$0.58 NT$18.39

25.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 NT$49.34

$1.26 NT$39.72

23.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 NT$78.3

$1.32 NT$41.84

87.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.30 NT$104

$2.86 NT$90.3

15.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 NT$71.8

$1.22 NT$38.51

86.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 NT$95.8

$2.60 NT$82.4

16.54%

Eggs

$2.63 NT$83.3

$2.22 NT$70.2

18.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.67 NT$496

$9.55 NT$302

64.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 NT$253

$7.59 NT$240

5.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.34 NT$485

$21.61 NT$684

-29.01%

Apples (1kg)

$6.71 NT$212

$3.88 NT$123

72.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.74 NT$86.6

$2.08 NT$65.7

31.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.51 NT$79.4

$3.02 NT$95.6

-16.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.14 NT$99.2

$3.06 NT$96.8

2.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 NT$89.0

$2.60 NT$82.2

8.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 NT$62.6

$1.95 NT$61.8

1.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 NT$78.6

$2.41 NT$76.1

3.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 NT$33.00

$0.87 NT$27.58

19.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 NT$128

$3.98 NT$126

1.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.16 NT$511

$10.94 NT$346

47.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 NT$52.5

$1.46 NT$46.15

13.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 NT$70.6

$2.19 NT$69.2

1.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 NT$22.09

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.49 NT$395

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 NT$84.8

$2.80 NT$88.7

-4.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 NT$25.65

$0.76 NT$24.03

6.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.63 NT$178

$7.19 NT$227

-21.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 NT$33.57

$1.00 NT$31.66

6.00%

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

$33.3K NT$1.1M

-0.09%

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

$23.7K NT$749.8K

$24.4K NT$772.0K

-2.88%

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

$83.9 NT$2,654

$70.0 NT$2,215

19.82%

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

$17.53 NT$555

$18.28 NT$578

-4.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.14 NT$827

$21.95 NT$694

19.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.98 NT$1,265

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.71 NT$339

Cinema Ticket

$10.89 NT$344

$10.90 NT$345

-0.09%

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

$479 NT$15.1K

$521 NT$16.5K

-8.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K NT$443.4K

$32.3K NT$1.0M

-56.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.3 NT$3,013

$12.91 NT$408

637.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.39 NT$1,088

$25.01 NT$791

37.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 NT$2,759

$62.5 NT$1,977

39.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 NT$3,213

$97.5 NT$3,082

4.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$412 NT$13.0K

$220 NT$6,968

87.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 NT$8,914

$161 NT$5,094

74.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$976 NT$30.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 NT$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,707 NT$148.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,136 NT$99.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,444 NT$45.7K

$2,543 NT$80.4K

-43.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.56

2.18

17.43%

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

Last update for Kaohsiung: September 5, 2026

Last update for Miaoli: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $412 in Kaohsiung and $220 in Miaoli. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Miaoli pays 76% 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 $24.00 in Miaoli for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $367 vs $316 per month, with Miaoli 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 Miaoli: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kaohsiung and Miaoli differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($1,114 vs $788 including rent). Miaoli is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 76% lower in Miaoli. 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: $412 in Kaohsiung versus $220 in Miaoli. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $479 in Kaohsiung versus $521 in Miaoli. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Miaoli – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $32.00 in Kaohsiung. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $788 in Miaoli versus $1,114 in Kaohsiung, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Miaoli but tight or insufficient in Kaohsiung. The gap between the two cities makes Miaoli 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 Miaoli 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 Miaoli gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Kaohsiung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.