🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,273 in Keelung versus $1,441 in Salamanca.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,040 in Keelung versus $2,184 in Salamanca.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,808 in Keelung versus $2,928 in Salamanca.
🙂Living in Keelung costs roughly 12% less than in Salamanca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Keelung is 5% below, Salamanca is 7% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Keelung
Salamanca
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.17NT$163
$14.11€12.16
-63.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$30.43NT$962
$51.3€44.21
-40.69%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.40NT$171
$10.32€8.89
-47.67%
Cappuccino
$2.94NT$92.9
$2.05€1.77
43.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10NT$34.73
$1.99€1.72
-44.72%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.81NT$25.46
$1.13€0.97
-28.32%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.10NT$66.3
$2.59€2.23
-18.92%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.95NT$93.3
$3.37€2.90
-12.46%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Keelung
Salamanca
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$3.40NT$108
$1.26€1.09
169.84%
White Bread(500g)
$1.49NT$47.15
$1.28€1.10
16.41%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.14NT$35.97
$1.55€1.34
-26.45%
Eggs
$2.48NT$78.5
$2.89€2.49
-14.19%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$31.37NT$992
$12.34€10.63
154.21%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.19NT$196
$7.75€6.67
-20.13%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.93NT$503
$12.88€11.10
23.68%
Apples(1kg)
$4.52NT$143
$2.21€1.90
104.52%
Banana(1kg)
$1.76NT$55.6
$1.69€1.46
4.14%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.25NT$71.3
$2.29€1.97
-1.75%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.09NT$97.7
$1.99€1.72
55.28%
Potato(1kg)
$1.35NT$42.58
$1.44€1.24
-6.25%
Onion(1kg)
$1.94NT$61.4
$2.14€1.85
-9.35%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.29NT$72.3
$1.09€0.94
110.09%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.26NT$39.80
$0.74€0.64
70.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97NT$126
$6.78€5.84
-41.45%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.70NT$307
$4.53€3.90
114.13%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.22NT$38.72
$1.20€1.03
1.67%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65NT$83.7
$2.07€1.78
28.02%
🚌 Getting Around
Keelung
Salamanca
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.49NT$15.48
$1.48€1.28
-66.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$68.0NT$2,151
$23.28€20.06
192.27%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.81NT$88.9
$5.40€4.65
-47.96%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.20NT$37.89
$1.07€0.92
12.15%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$10.10NT$319
$31.76€27.36
-68.20%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.01NT$32.04
$1.80€1.55
-43.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.4KNT$1.1M
$34.0K€29.3K
-1.68%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1KNT$823.7K
$37.3K€32.1K
-30.17%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Keelung
Salamanca
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$44.01NT$1,391
$141€122
-68.79%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.37NT$771
$19.69€16.96
23.77%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.78NT$372
$27.75€23.91
-57.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Keelung
Salamanca
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$37.04NT$1,171
$38.81€33.44
-4.56%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$33.67NT$1,064
$11.73€10.11
187.04%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69NT$275
$9.16€7.89
-5.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Keelung
Salamanca
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$364NT$11.5K
$489€421
-25.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$20.5KNT$649.6K
$7,524€6,483
173.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Keelung
Salamanca
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$83.6NT$2,643
$87.9€75.7
-4.89%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.44NT$1,089
$27.23€23.46
26.48%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$50.2NT$1,586
$82.4€71.0
-39.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$33.81NT$1,069
$92.3€79.5
-63.37%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Keelung
Salamanca
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$610NT$19.3K
$787€678
-22.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$516NT$16.3K
$569€490
-9.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,124NT$35.5K
$1,522€1,311
-26.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,020NT$32.2K
$993€855
2.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,392NT$107.2K
$3,526€3,038
-3.80%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,361NT$74.6K
$1,636€1,410
44.30%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Keelung
Salamanca
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,435NT$77.0K
$1,650€1,422
47.58%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
2.18
3.5
-37.71%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Keelung: June 6, 2026
Last update for Salamanca: June 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $610 in Keelung and $787 in Salamanca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Keelung pays 48% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $30.00 in Keelung vs $51.0 in Salamanca. Groceries flip the comparison at $357 vs $239, with Salamanca cheaper for home cooking.
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
Keelung vs Salamanca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Keelung and Salamanca?
Keelung and Salamanca differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($1,273 vs $1,441 including rent). Keelung is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Keelung or Salamanca?
Keelung pays 48% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Keelung and Salamanca?
Rent for a central apartment: $610 in Keelung versus $787 in Salamanca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Salamanca pay roughly 49% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Keelung – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $51.0 in Salamanca. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,273 in Keelung versus $1,441 in Salamanca, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Keelung but tight or insufficient in Salamanca. The gap between the two cities makes Keelung the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Keelung and Salamanca?
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.
Is Keelung or Salamanca safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Keelung and Salamanca are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Keelung or Salamanca?
Expats usually find Keelung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Salamanca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.