Cost of Living Comparison Between Kinmen and Zhubei City Cost of Living Comparison Between Kinmen and Zhubei City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,155 per month in Kinmen vs $1,143 in Zhubei City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,889 per month in Kinmen vs $2,070 in Zhubei City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,623 per month in Kinmen vs $2,997 in Zhubei City, rent included.

Kinmen costs about 1% more than Zhubei City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kinmen and Zhubei City are more affordable than the global median – Kinmen 13% lower, Zhubei City 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.05 NT$164

$5.01 NT$162

0.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.53 NT$988

$33.97 NT$1,099

-10.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.34 NT$173

$5.62 NT$182

-4.98%

Cappuccino

$2.91 NT$94.2

$3.71 NT$120

-21.56%

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

$1.04 NT$33.62

$0.98 NT$31.66

6.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 NT$23.33

$0.68 NT$21.94

5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 NT$58.9

$2.14 NT$69.1

-14.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 NT$88.0

$2.77 NT$89.7

-1.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.30 NT$107

$3.11 NT$101

6.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 NT$61.7

$2.07 NT$66.9

-7.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.80 NT$90.6

$4.54 NT$147

-38.33%

Eggs

$2.87 NT$92.8

$2.92 NT$94.3

-1.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 NT$617

$13.82 NT$447

37.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 NT$258

$8.51 NT$275

-6.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.83 NT$544

$27.25 NT$882

-38.24%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 NT$148

$4.48 NT$145

2.01%

Banana (1kg)

$2.46 NT$79.5

$2.69 NT$87.1

-8.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 NT$87.0

$2.74 NT$88.6

-1.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.55 NT$115

$3.85 NT$125

-7.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 NT$88.5

$3.84 NT$124

-28.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 NT$70.2

$2.46 NT$79.7

-11.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 NT$67.0

$2.67 NT$86.4

-22.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 NT$40.07

$1.39 NT$45.01

-10.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.98 NT$129

$3.99 NT$129

-0.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.36 NT$432

$8.86 NT$287

50.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 NT$56.3

$1.64 NT$53.1

6.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 NT$80.6

$2.72 NT$88.0

-8.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 NT$27.94

$0.65 NT$20.93

32.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.11 NT$1,265

$39.32 NT$1,272

-0.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 NT$95.8

$3.46 NT$112

-14.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 NT$25.18

$0.60 NT$19.33

30.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.32 NT$334

$10.37 NT$335

-0.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 NT$33.09

$1.07 NT$34.53

-4.67%

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

$35.4K NT$1.1M

$40.8K NT$1.3M

-13.22%

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

$26.2K NT$847.9K

$28.1K NT$909.4K

-6.76%

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

$85.0 NT$2,750

$91.6 NT$2,964

-7.23%

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

$24.67 NT$798

$33.88 NT$1,096

-27.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.62 NT$732

$25.12 NT$813

-9.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.79 NT$1,190

$34.55 NT$1,118

6.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.01 NT$486

$15.27 NT$494

-1.70%

Cinema Ticket

$10.31 NT$334

$12.07 NT$391

-14.58%

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

$420 NT$13.6K

$694 NT$22.4K

-39.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.5K NT$500.9K

$15.2K NT$491.5K

1.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.2 NT$2,722

$84.9 NT$2,745

-0.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.58 NT$1,119

$47.17 NT$1,526

-26.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.0 NT$2,910

$99.6 NT$3,223

-9.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 NT$3,257

$115 NT$3,724

-12.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 NT$14.2K

$429 NT$13.9K

2.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 NT$9,217

$209 NT$6,749

36.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 NT$33.1K

$1,181 NT$38.2K

-13.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$729 NT$23.6K

$856 NT$27.7K

-14.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,837 NT$253.5K

$15.8K NT$512.0K

-50.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,223 NT$136.6K

$9,315 NT$301.3K

-54.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,361 NT$76.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.18

2.4

-9.17%

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

Last update for Kinmen: July 25, 2026

Last update for Zhubei City: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $439 in Kinmen versus $429 in Zhubei City. 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 Zhubei City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $365 vs $391 – 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 Zhubei City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Kinmen is pricier by about 1%, 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 $1,732 per month in Kinmen and $1,714 in Zhubei City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $420 per month in Kinmen and $694 in Zhubei City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Kinmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zhubei City, where all-in costs run around $1,143, than in Kinmen at $1,155. In Zhubei City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kinmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zhubei City – 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 Zhubei City. 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.