Cost of Living Comparison Between Kinmen and Hsinchu Cost of Living Comparison Between Kinmen and Hsinchu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,127 per month in Kinmen vs $1,191 in Hsinchu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,886 per month in Kinmen vs $1,918 in Hsinchu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,646 per month in Kinmen vs $2,645 in Hsinchu, rent included.

Kinmen is about 5% cheaper than Hsinchu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kinmen and Hsinchu are more affordable than the global median – Kinmen 16% lower, Hsinchu 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.11 NT$161

$4.09 NT$129

24.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.99 NT$978

$33.87 NT$1,069

-8.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.34 NT$169

$5.30 NT$167

0.75%

Cappuccino

$2.96 NT$93.4

$3.07 NT$96.9

-3.58%

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

$1.10 NT$34.59

$0.99 NT$31.32

11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 NT$22.91

$0.69 NT$21.66

5.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 NT$56.9

$1.67 NT$52.7

7.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 NT$87.0

$2.34 NT$73.8

17.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.17 NT$100

$3.28 NT$104

-3.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 NT$61.4

$1.85 NT$58.5

5.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.92 NT$92.1

$4.50 NT$142

-35.11%

Eggs

$2.91 NT$91.7

$2.49 NT$78.7

16.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.90 NT$597

$13.70 NT$433

37.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.31 NT$262

$4.96 NT$157

67.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.85 NT$532

$16.07 NT$507

4.85%

Apples (1kg)

$4.52 NT$143

$4.49 NT$142

0.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 NT$79.7

$2.54 NT$80.3

-0.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 NT$83.9

$2.87 NT$90.6

-7.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.48 NT$110

$3.95 NT$125

-11.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 NT$88.5

$3.05 NT$96.2

-8.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 NT$70.6

$2.20 NT$69.6

1.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 NT$64.9

$1.93 NT$61.0

6.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 NT$38.01

$1.14 NT$36.06

5.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 NT$132

$4.49 NT$142

-6.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.93 NT$440

$14.38 NT$454

-3.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 NT$53.7

$1.74 NT$54.9

-2.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 NT$80.3

$2.58 NT$81.5

-1.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 NT$26.22

$0.90 NT$28.33

-7.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.88 NT$1,227

$40.39 NT$1,275

-3.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 NT$93.4

$2.91 NT$91.9

1.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 NT$23.01

$0.74 NT$23.38

-1.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.00 NT$316

$6.21 NT$196

61.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 NT$34.01

$1.03 NT$32.62

4.85%

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

$34.8K NT$1.1M

$34.2K NT$1.1M

1.82%

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

$26.1K NT$824.0K

$25.0K NT$788.1K

4.57%

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

$85.0 NT$2,683

$74.2 NT$2,344

14.48%

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

$24.64 NT$778

$25.03 NT$790

-1.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.33 NT$705

$25.51 NT$805

-12.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.99 NT$1,199

$44.10 NT$1,392

-13.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.88 NT$470

$23.28 NT$735

-36.08%

Cinema Ticket

$10.07 NT$318

$10.02 NT$316

0.50%

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

$426 NT$13.4K

$423 NT$13.4K

0.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K NT$482.5K

$11.3K NT$358.3K

34.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.9 NT$2,649

$88.9 NT$2,806

-5.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.07 NT$1,075

$35.16 NT$1,110

-3.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 NT$2,858

$90.7 NT$2,862

-0.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 NT$3,167

$103 NT$3,266

-3.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 NT$13.8K

$551 NT$17.4K

-20.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 NT$9,219

$368 NT$11.6K

-20.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,040 NT$32.8K

$1,238 NT$39.1K

-15.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 NT$22.7K

$796 NT$25.1K

-9.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,225 NT$228.1K

$8,354 NT$263.7K

-13.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,930 NT$187.2K

$6,175 NT$194.9K

-3.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,621 NT$82.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.18

1.57

38.85%

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

Last update for Kinmen: April 27, 2026

Last update for Hsinchu: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $437 in Kinmen 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Kinmen versus $34.00 in Hsinchu. Groceries tell a different story – $366 in Kinmen 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

Kinmen vs Hsinchu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hsinchu costs about 6% more than Kinmen, 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 $1,690 per month in Kinmen 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 Kinmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 4% less in Kinmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $426 per month in Kinmen and $423 in Hsinchu. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kinmen, where all-in costs run around $1,127, than in Hsinchu at $1,191. In Kinmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hsinchu it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kinmen – 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 Kinmen. 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.