Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Taitung Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Taitung

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $1,115 in Taitung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,839 in Taitung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $2,562 in Taitung.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 30% more expensive than Taitung, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Taitung is 17% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$4.01 NT$127

223.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$40.84 NT$1,291

28.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$5.71 NT$181

65.15%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$3.80 NT$120

-6.05%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$1.13 NT$35.85

42.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.79 NT$25.02

45.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$3.32 NT$105

-5.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$3.45 NT$109

40.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$3.11 NT$98.5

-45.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.97 NT$62.3

34.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$3.05 NT$96.3

-37.70%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$2.40 NT$75.7

5.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$19.92 NT$630

-49.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$4.04 NT$128

105.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$19.97 NT$631

-42.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$2.02 NT$63.8

50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$2.88 NT$91.0

-40.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$2.08 NT$65.6

-1.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$4.33 NT$137

-52.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$2.80 NT$88.4

-26.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$2.26 NT$71.5

-3.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$1.96 NT$62.0

-28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$1.32 NT$41.79

-15.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$3.97 NT$125

8.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$14.07 NT$445

9.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.79 NT$56.7

-6.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.42 NT$76.4

52.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.86 NT$27.31

-55.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$39.36 NT$1,244

-51.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$2.94 NT$92.9

-53.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.73 NT$23.00

-61.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$10.36 NT$327

-47.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.04 NT$32.97

23.08%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$37.5K NT$1.2M

-49.41%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$28.0K NT$884.0K

-16.11%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$86.3 NT$2,728

-52.46%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$18.88 NT$597

42.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$25.12 NT$794

18.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$37.04 NT$1,171

41.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$14.91 NT$471

75.92%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$10.02 NT$317

-38.32%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$634 NT$20.1K

-32.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$18.9K NT$598.3K

-43.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$30.52 NT$965

86.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$16.57 NT$524

170.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$53.0 NT$1,674

97.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$124 NT$3,930

-14.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$439 NT$13.9K

126.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$284 NT$8,979

118.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$1,027 NT$32.5K

106.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$722 NT$22.8K

73.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$6,522 NT$206.2K

-40.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$5,961 NT$188.4K

-64.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$639 NT$20.2K

73.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

2.19

417.81%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Taitung: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $439 in Taitung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 73% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $41.00 in Taitung. Groceries flip the comparison at $288 vs $348, with Mexico City cheaper for home cooking.

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

Mexico City vs Taitung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Taitung differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $1,115 including rent). Taitung is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 73% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $995 in Mexico City versus $439 in Taitung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Taitung runs roughly 107% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $634 in Taitung. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,115 in Taitung versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Taitung but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Taitung the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Taitung are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Taitung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.