Cost of Living Comparison Between Kinmen and Tainan Cost of Living Comparison Between Kinmen and Tainan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,124 per month in Kinmen vs $1,074 in Tainan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,864 per month in Kinmen vs $1,873 in Tainan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,603 per month in Kinmen vs $2,672 in Tainan, rent included.

Kinmen costs about 5% more than Tainan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kinmen and Tainan are more affordable than the global median – Kinmen 16% lower, Tainan 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.23 NT$165

$6.12 NT$193

-14.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.74 NT$968

$26.69 NT$841

15.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.46 NT$172

$5.11 NT$161

6.85%

Cappuccino

$2.91 NT$91.5

$3.50 NT$110

-16.86%

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

$1.09 NT$34.48

$1.12 NT$35.27

-2.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 NT$24.35

$0.79 NT$24.77

-2.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 NT$59.5

$3.30 NT$104

-42.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 NT$83.2

$3.35 NT$105

-21.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.26 NT$103

$3.15 NT$99.3

3.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 NT$60.0

$1.92 NT$60.4

-1.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.79 NT$88.0

$3.02 NT$95.0

-7.62%

Eggs

$2.84 NT$89.3

$2.85 NT$89.7

-0.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.85 NT$594

$19.81 NT$624

-4.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.00 NT$252

$9.98 NT$315

-19.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.25 NT$543

$20.31 NT$640

-15.07%

Apples (1kg)

$4.58 NT$144

$4.33 NT$137

5.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 NT$80.8

$2.82 NT$88.8

-9.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 NT$84.3

$2.87 NT$90.3

-6.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.49 NT$110

$4.27 NT$135

-18.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 NT$90.4

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 NT$70.5

$2.21 NT$69.5

1.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 NT$61.7

$1.68 NT$52.8

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 NT$39.52

$1.06 NT$33.30

17.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 NT$132

$4.16 NT$131

0.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.40 NT$454

$13.93 NT$439

3.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 NT$52.1

$1.74 NT$54.8

-4.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 NT$77.8

$2.40 NT$75.7

2.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 NT$27.92

$0.62 NT$19.56

43.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.20 NT$1,235

$21.71 NT$684

80.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 NT$92.6

$2.83 NT$89.0

3.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 NT$24.38

$0.78 NT$24.63

-1.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.28 NT$324

$10.36 NT$326

-0.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 NT$33.52

$1.02 NT$32.08

3.92%

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

$35.9K NT$1.1M

$37.7K NT$1.2M

-4.88%

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

$25.7K NT$808.8K

$26.5K NT$836.1K

-3.27%

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

$86.4 NT$2,721

$86.7 NT$2,732

-0.38%

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

$24.55 NT$774

$18.57 NT$585

32.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.48 NT$708

$22.99 NT$724

-2.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.74 NT$1,157

$39.82 NT$1,254

-7.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.18 NT$478

$15.42 NT$486

-1.56%

Cinema Ticket

$10.06 NT$317

$11.93 NT$376

-15.67%

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

$419 NT$13.2K

$269 NT$8,479

55.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K NT$483.0K

$6,829 NT$215.1K

124.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.1 NT$2,649

$59.5 NT$1,874

41.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.75 NT$1,095

$30.34 NT$956

14.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 NT$2,867

$92.2 NT$2,905

-1.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 NT$3,247

$122 NT$3,848

-15.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 NT$13.9K

$328 NT$10.3K

34.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 NT$9,002

$195 NT$6,157

46.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,034 NT$32.6K

$684 NT$21.5K

51.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$740 NT$23.3K

$712 NT$22.4K

3.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,661 NT$241.4K

$3,183 NT$100.3K

140.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,295 NT$166.8K

$3,153 NT$99.3K

67.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,368 NT$43.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.18

1.83

19.13%

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

Last update for Kinmen: June 1, 2026

Last update for Tainan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $440 in Kinmen versus $328 in Tainan. 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 $27.00 in Tainan. Groceries tell a different story – $367 in Kinmen vs $390 in Tainan – so Kinmen 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 Tainan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Kinmen is pricier by about 5%, 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 $1,611 in Tainan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tainan, 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 $269 in Tainan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Kinmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tainan, where all-in costs run around $1,074, than in Kinmen at $1,124. In Tainan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kinmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tainan – 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 Tainan. 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.