Cost of Living Comparison Between Kinmen and Taoyuan Cost of Living Comparison Between Kinmen and Taoyuan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,097 per month in Kinmen vs $1,209 in Taoyuan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,883 per month in Kinmen vs $1,825 in Taoyuan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,669 per month in Kinmen vs $2,442 in Taoyuan, rent included.

Kinmen is about 9% cheaper than Taoyuan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kinmen and Taoyuan are more affordable than the global median – Kinmen 20% lower, Taoyuan 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 NT$149

$4.46 NT$142

5.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.24 NT$1,025

$24.81 NT$788

29.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.77 NT$152

$5.53 NT$176

-13.74%

Cappuccino

$2.92 NT$92.8

$3.04 NT$96.5

-3.95%

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

$0.92 NT$29.21

$0.98 NT$31.08

-6.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 NT$23.07

$0.73 NT$23.09

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 NT$52.4

$1.90 NT$60.5

-13.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 NT$79.7

$2.35 NT$74.6

6.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.04 NT$96.6

$2.85 NT$90.7

6.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.92 NT$61.0

$1.23 NT$39.23

56.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.87 NT$91.2

$2.63 NT$83.5

9.13%

Eggs

$2.72 NT$86.4

$2.11 NT$67.2

28.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.04 NT$637

$9.16 NT$291

118.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.95 NT$252

$7.49 NT$238

6.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.41 NT$680

$21.50 NT$683

-0.42%

Apples (1kg)

$4.27 NT$136

$3.84 NT$122

11.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 NT$77.8

$2.02 NT$64.3

21.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.04 NT$96.5

$3.08 NT$97.9

-1.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.13 NT$99.5

$3.15 NT$100

-0.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 NT$85.8

$2.50 NT$79.4

8.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 NT$67.8

$1.98 NT$63.1

7.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 NT$74.7

$2.27 NT$72.2

3.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 NT$34.99

$0.88 NT$27.92

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.95 NT$126

$5.07 NT$161

-22.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.23 NT$389

$10.95 NT$348

11.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 NT$50.4

$1.45 NT$46.05

9.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 NT$70.0

$2.09 NT$66.5

5.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 NT$20.66

$0.55 NT$17.63

18.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.78 NT$1,169

$37.88 NT$1,204

-2.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 NT$87.7

$2.88 NT$91.5

-4.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 NT$25.46

$0.77 NT$24.61

3.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.60 NT$305

$7.04 NT$224

36.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 NT$33.22

$1.00 NT$31.70

5.00%

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

$33.4K NT$1.1M

$34.0K NT$1.1M

-1.81%

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

$24.7K NT$786.4K

$23.5K NT$748.1K

5.13%

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

$89.3 NT$2,839

$69.1 NT$2,195

29.35%

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

$18.27 NT$581

$17.83 NT$566

2.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.19 NT$705

$22.30 NT$709

-0.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.02 NT$1,176

$33.89 NT$1,077

9.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.18 NT$228

Cinema Ticket

$10.20 NT$324

$11.07 NT$352

-7.86%

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

$529 NT$16.8K

$531 NT$16.9K

-0.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K NT$546.2K

$32.4K NT$1.0M

-47.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 NT$2,004

$91.5 NT$2,907

-31.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.58 NT$1,099

$25.11 NT$798

37.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 NT$2,692

$82.7 NT$2,629

2.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 NT$3,181

$96.5 NT$3,067

3.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 NT$12.9K

$659 NT$20.9K

-38.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$258 NT$8,214

$435 NT$13.8K

-40.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 NT$31.1K

$956 NT$30.4K

2.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$754 NT$23.9K

$737 NT$23.4K

2.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,256 NT$230.6K

$7,589 NT$241.2K

-4.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,030 NT$159.8K

$4,683 NT$148.8K

7.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,569 NT$49.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.27

2.18

4.13%

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

Last update for Kinmen: September 13, 2026

Last update for Taoyuan: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $405 in Kinmen versus $659 in Taoyuan. 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 $32.00 in Kinmen versus $25.00 in Taoyuan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $372 vs $313 – making Taoyuan 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 Taoyuan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Taoyuan is pricier by about 10%, 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 $1,646 per month in Kinmen and $1,813 in Taoyuan. 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 $529 per month in Kinmen and $531 in Taoyuan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 19% cheaper in Taoyuan – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kinmen, where all-in costs run around $1,097, than in Taoyuan at $1,209. In Kinmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Taoyuan 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, Taoyuan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.