Cost of Living Comparison Between Kinmen and Miaoli Cost of Living Comparison Between Kinmen and Miaoli

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,124 per month in Kinmen vs $899 in Miaoli, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,864 per month in Kinmen vs $1,651 in Miaoli, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,603 per month in Kinmen vs $2,404 in Miaoli, rent included.

Kinmen costs about 25% more than Miaoli, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kinmen and Miaoli are more affordable than the global median – Kinmen 16% lower, Miaoli 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.23 NT$165

$3.49 NT$110

49.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.74 NT$967

$25.88 NT$815

18.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.46 NT$172

$5.03 NT$158

8.55%

Cappuccino

$2.91 NT$91.5

$2.84 NT$89.3

2.46%

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

$1.09 NT$34.45

$1.11 NT$34.88

-1.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 NT$24.33

$0.69 NT$21.86

11.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 NT$59.4

$1.71 NT$53.7

10.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 NT$83.2

$2.59 NT$81.4

1.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.26 NT$103

$3.10 NT$97.5

5.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 NT$59.9

$1.45 NT$45.58

31.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.79 NT$87.9

$2.52 NT$79.4

10.71%

Eggs

$2.84 NT$89.3

$2.29 NT$71.9

24.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.85 NT$593

$9.25 NT$291

103.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.00 NT$252

$8.14 NT$256

-1.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.25 NT$543

$20.58 NT$648

-16.18%

Apples (1kg)

$4.58 NT$144

$3.33 NT$105

37.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 NT$80.7

$1.04 NT$32.67

146.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 NT$84.2

$2.71 NT$85.2

-1.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.49 NT$110

$3.05 NT$95.9

14.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 NT$90.3

$2.39 NT$75.4

20.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 NT$70.4

$1.90 NT$59.7

17.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 NT$61.7

$2.87 NT$90.4

-31.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 NT$39.49

$0.93 NT$29.16

34.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 NT$132

$6.46 NT$203

-35.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.40 NT$453

$11.19 NT$352

28.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 NT$52.1

$1.85 NT$58.3

-10.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 NT$77.8

$2.37 NT$74.5

4.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 NT$27.89

$0.87 NT$27.54

2.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.20 NT$1,234

$39.63 NT$1,247

-1.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 NT$92.5

$3.00 NT$94.3

-2.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 NT$24.35

$0.73 NT$22.84

5.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.28 NT$324

$8.25 NT$260

24.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 NT$33.49

$1.07 NT$33.64

-0.93%

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

$35.9K NT$1.1M

$36.6K NT$1.2M

-2.02%

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

$25.7K NT$808.1K

$26.2K NT$823.6K

-1.88%

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

$86.4 NT$2,719

$64.4 NT$2,027

34.11%

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

$24.55 NT$773

$28.45 NT$895

-13.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.48 NT$708

$18.94 NT$596

18.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.74 NT$1,156

$36.89 NT$1,161

-0.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.18 NT$478

$15.01 NT$473

1.13%

Cinema Ticket

$10.06 NT$317

$10.21 NT$321

-1.47%

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

$419 NT$13.2K

$566 NT$17.8K

-26.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K NT$482.6K

$30.4K NT$958.1K

-49.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.1 NT$2,647

$31.72 NT$999

165.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.75 NT$1,094

$23.77 NT$748

46.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 NT$2,864

$68.8 NT$2,166

32.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 NT$3,244

$103 NT$3,233

0.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 NT$13.8K

$345 NT$10.9K

27.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 NT$8,994

$168 NT$5,279

70.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,034 NT$32.6K

$1,039 NT$32.7K

-0.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$740 NT$23.3K

$730 NT$23.0K

1.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,661 NT$241.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,295 NT$166.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,471 NT$77.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.18

9.00%

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

Last update for Kinmen: June 1, 2026

Last update for Miaoli: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $440 in Kinmen versus $345 in Miaoli. 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 $26.00 in Miaoli. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $367 vs $314 – making Miaoli the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Miaoli: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Kinmen is pricier by about 25%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,686 per month in Kinmen and $1,349 in Miaoli. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Miaoli, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $419 per month in Kinmen and $566 in Miaoli. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Kinmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Miaoli, where all-in costs run around $899, than in Kinmen at $1,124. In Miaoli it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kinmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Miaoli – 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 Miaoli. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kinmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.