Cost of Living Comparison Between Kinmen and Taipei Cost of Living Comparison Between Kinmen and Taipei

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,124 per month in Kinmen vs $1,497 in Taipei, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,876 per month in Kinmen vs $2,333 in Taipei, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,629 per month in Kinmen vs $3,168 in Taipei, rent included.

Kinmen is about 25% cheaper than Taipei, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Kinmen sits 16% below the global median, while Taipei is 12% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.07 NT$164

$6.62 NT$214

-23.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.83 NT$998

$39.86 NT$1,290

-22.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.54 NT$179

$5.59 NT$181

-0.89%

Cappuccino

$2.92 NT$94.6

$3.93 NT$127

-25.70%

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

$1.04 NT$33.67

$1.16 NT$37.70

-10.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 NT$23.31

$0.75 NT$24.26

-4.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 NT$59.4

$3.45 NT$112

-46.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 NT$88.7

$3.45 NT$112

-20.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.31 NT$107

$3.16 NT$102

4.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 NT$63.1

$1.88 NT$61.0

3.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.89 NT$93.6

$3.03 NT$98.2

-4.62%

Eggs

$2.85 NT$92.2

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.49 NT$598

$20.35 NT$659

-9.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.10 NT$262

$10.12 NT$327

-19.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.18 NT$556

$20.00 NT$647

-14.10%

Apples (1kg)

$4.67 NT$151

$5.03 NT$163

-7.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 NT$81.9

$2.87 NT$92.8

-11.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 NT$85.6

$2.90 NT$94.0

-8.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.45 NT$112

$4.18 NT$135

-17.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 NT$89.6

$2.86 NT$92.6

-3.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 NT$70.3

$2.24 NT$72.6

-3.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 NT$66.8

$1.95 NT$63.0

5.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 NT$38.68

$1.31 NT$42.53

-8.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.05 NT$131

$4.14 NT$134

-2.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.99 NT$453

$13.82 NT$447

1.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 NT$53.9

$1.80 NT$58.4

-7.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 NT$82.8

$2.37 NT$76.6

8.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 NT$28.07

$0.86 NT$27.84

1.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.33 NT$1,273

$41.26 NT$1,335

-4.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 NT$95.8

$2.94 NT$95.2

0.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 NT$25.83

$0.74 NT$23.96

8.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.22 NT$331

$10.32 NT$334

-0.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 NT$34.67

$1.04 NT$33.53

2.88%

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

$35.3K NT$1.1M

$38.7K NT$1.3M

-8.58%

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

$26.5K NT$858.7K

$27.6K NT$894.0K

-3.95%

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

$86.1 NT$2,785

$86.2 NT$2,789

-0.13%

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

$24.37 NT$789

$18.64 NT$603

30.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.59 NT$731

$24.48 NT$792

-7.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.68 NT$1,187

$41.54 NT$1,345

-11.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.95 NT$484

$13.88 NT$449

7.71%

Cinema Ticket

$10.06 NT$326

$11.71 NT$379

-14.09%

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

$424 NT$13.7K

$643 NT$20.8K

-34.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K NT$510.0K

$18.8K NT$610.1K

-16.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.6 NT$2,641

$59.5 NT$1,926

37.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.43 NT$1,114

$33.40 NT$1,081

3.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.3 NT$2,953

$92.9 NT$3,007

-1.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 NT$3,307

$121 NT$3,926

-15.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 NT$13.7K

$795 NT$25.7K

-46.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$293 NT$9,489

$539 NT$17.4K

-45.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,042 NT$33.7K

$1,651 NT$53.4K

-36.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$734 NT$23.8K

$1,082 NT$35.0K

-32.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,302 NT$204.0K

$12.8K NT$415.4K

-50.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,564 NT$147.7K

$7,600 NT$246.0K

-39.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,716 NT$55.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.18

2.19

-0.46%

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

Last update for Kinmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Taipei: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Kinmen versus $795 in Taipei. 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 $40.00 in Taipei. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $366 vs $398 – making Kinmen 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 Taipei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Taipei is pricier by about 33%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,685 per month in Kinmen and $2,246 in Taipei. 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.

Kindergarten costs $424 per month in Kinmen and $643 in Taipei. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Taipei, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kinmen, where all-in costs run around $1,124, than in Taipei at $1,497. In Kinmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Taipei 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, Taipei makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.