Cost of Living Comparison Between Miaoli and Kaohsiung Cost of Living Comparison Between Miaoli and Kaohsiung

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $788 in Miaoli versus $1,114 in Kaohsiung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,105 in Miaoli versus $1,853 in Kaohsiung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,423 in Miaoli versus $2,591 in Kaohsiung.

Living in Miaoli costs roughly 29% less than in Kaohsiung, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Miaoli 43% lower, Kaohsiung 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.61 NT$82.5

$5.61 NT$177

-53.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.16 NT$764

$31.91 NT$1,009

-24.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.80 NT$152

$4.78 NT$151

0.42%

Cappuccino

$3.06 NT$96.9

$2.83 NT$89.5

8.13%

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

$0.88 NT$27.84

$1.13 NT$35.86

-22.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 NT$18.39

$0.73 NT$23.20

-20.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.26 NT$39.72

$1.56 NT$49.34

-19.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 NT$41.84

$2.48 NT$78.3

-46.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.86 NT$90.3

$3.30 NT$104

-13.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 NT$38.51

$2.27 NT$71.8

-46.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.60 NT$82.4

$3.03 NT$95.8

-14.19%

Eggs

$2.22 NT$70.2

$2.63 NT$83.3

-15.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.55 NT$302

$15.67 NT$496

-39.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.59 NT$240

$7.99 NT$253

-5.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.61 NT$684

$15.34 NT$485

40.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.88 NT$123

$6.71 NT$212

-42.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 NT$65.7

$2.74 NT$86.6

-24.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 NT$95.6

$2.51 NT$79.4

20.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.06 NT$96.8

$3.14 NT$99.2

-2.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 NT$82.2

$2.82 NT$89.0

-7.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 NT$61.8

$1.98 NT$62.6

-1.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 NT$76.1

$2.49 NT$78.6

-3.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 NT$27.58

$1.04 NT$33.00

-16.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.98 NT$126

$4.04 NT$128

-1.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.94 NT$346

$16.16 NT$511

-32.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 NT$46.15

$1.66 NT$52.5

-12.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 NT$69.2

$2.23 NT$70.6

-1.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 NT$22.09

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.49 NT$395

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 NT$88.7

$2.68 NT$84.8

4.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 NT$24.03

$0.81 NT$25.65

-6.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.19 NT$227

$5.63 NT$178

27.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 NT$31.66

$1.06 NT$33.57

-5.66%

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

$33.3K NT$1.1M

0.09%

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

$24.4K NT$772.0K

$23.7K NT$749.8K

2.96%

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

$70.0 NT$2,215

$83.9 NT$2,654

-16.54%

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

$18.28 NT$578

$17.53 NT$555

4.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.95 NT$694

$26.14 NT$827

-16.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.98 NT$1,265

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.71 NT$339

Cinema Ticket

$10.90 NT$345

$10.89 NT$344

0.09%

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

$521 NT$16.5K

$479 NT$15.1K

8.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.3K NT$1.0M

$14.0K NT$443.4K

130.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$12.91 NT$408

$95.3 NT$3,013

-86.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.01 NT$791

$34.39 NT$1,088

-27.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.5 NT$1,977

$87.2 NT$2,759

-28.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.5 NT$3,082

$102 NT$3,213

-4.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$220 NT$6,968

$412 NT$13.0K

-46.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$161 NT$5,094

$282 NT$8,914

-42.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$976 NT$30.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 NT$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,707 NT$148.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,136 NT$99.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,543 NT$80.4K

$1,444 NT$45.7K

76.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.18

2.56

-14.84%

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

Last update for Miaoli: September 6, 2026

Last update for Kaohsiung: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $220 in Miaoli and $412 in Kaohsiung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Miaoli pays 76% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $24.00 in Miaoli vs $32.00 in Kaohsiung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $316 vs $367 per month, with Miaoli cheaper across the board.

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

Miaoli vs Kaohsiung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Miaoli and Kaohsiung differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($788 vs $1,114 including rent). Miaoli is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 76% higher in Miaoli, 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: $220 in Miaoli versus $412 in Kaohsiung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $521 in Miaoli versus $479 in Kaohsiung. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Miaoli – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $32.00 in Kaohsiung. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $788 in Miaoli versus $1,114 in Kaohsiung, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Miaoli but tight or insufficient in Kaohsiung. The gap between the two cities makes Miaoli 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, Miaoli and Kaohsiung 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 Miaoli gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Kaohsiung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.