Cost of Living Comparison Between Miaoli and Taichung Cost of Living Comparison Between Miaoli and Taichung

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $786 in Miaoli versus $1,148 in Taichung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,086 in Miaoli versus $1,904 in Taichung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,386 in Miaoli versus $2,659 in Taichung.

Living in Miaoli costs roughly 32% less than in Taichung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Miaoli 43% lower, Taichung 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.57 NT$81.4

$4.83 NT$153

-46.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.50 NT$746

$32.11 NT$1,019

-26.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 NT$147

$4.78 NT$152

-3.14%

Cappuccino

$2.95 NT$93.6

$2.74 NT$87.1

7.66%

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

$0.88 NT$28.03

$0.99 NT$31.36

-11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 NT$18.06

$0.76 NT$24.16

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.29 NT$40.88

$1.60 NT$50.7

-19.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 NT$42.09

$2.85 NT$90.6

-53.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.83 NT$89.6

$3.17 NT$101

-10.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 NT$37.62

$1.76 NT$56.0

-32.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.60 NT$82.4

$2.67 NT$84.6

-2.62%

Eggs

$2.11 NT$67.0

$2.50 NT$79.4

-15.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 NT$287

$28.55 NT$906

-68.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.59 NT$241

$7.72 NT$245

-1.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.33 NT$677

$16.58 NT$526

28.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 NT$119

$4.19 NT$133

-10.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 NT$66.2

$1.96 NT$62.3

6.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.08 NT$97.7

$1.85 NT$58.8

66.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.19 NT$101

$2.24 NT$71.0

42.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 NT$79.6

$1.24 NT$39.48

102.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 NT$63.0

$1.92 NT$60.9

3.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 NT$75.5

$2.41 NT$76.4

-1.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 NT$29.28

$0.90 NT$28.40

2.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.92 NT$124

$3.85 NT$122

1.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.20 NT$355

$16.07 NT$510

-30.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 NT$48.10

$1.62 NT$51.4

-6.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 NT$68.9

$2.48 NT$78.7

-12.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 NT$23.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.80 NT$1,009

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 NT$88.7

$2.62 NT$83.1

6.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 NT$23.98

$0.93 NT$29.63

-18.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.03 NT$223

$9.67 NT$307

-27.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 NT$32.99

$1.05 NT$33.47

-0.95%

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

$34.1K NT$1.1M

$33.3K NT$1.1M

2.13%

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

$23.9K NT$758.3K

$23.3K NT$739.5K

2.54%

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

$68.9 NT$2,187

$110 NT$3,480

-37.16%

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

$17.96 NT$570

$15.30 NT$485

17.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.56 NT$716

$20.93 NT$664

7.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.98 NT$1,046

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.13 NT$417

Cinema Ticket

$11.16 NT$354

$10.01 NT$318

11.49%

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

$518 NT$16.4K

$336 NT$10.7K

54.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K NT$1.0M

$16.8K NT$534.0K

87.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$12.51 NT$397

$67.9 NT$2,155

-81.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.68 NT$783

$36.17 NT$1,147

-31.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.0 NT$1,968

$85.6 NT$2,715

-27.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.0 NT$3,142

$109 NT$3,465

-9.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$222 NT$7,053

$401 NT$12.7K

-44.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$160 NT$5,070

$283 NT$8,979

-43.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,237 NT$39.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$747 NT$23.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,108 NT$225.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,222 NT$165.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,509 NT$79.6K

$1,393 NT$44.2K

80.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.18

2.27

-3.96%

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

Last update for Miaoli: August 30, 2026

Last update for Taichung: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $222 in Miaoli and $401 in Taichung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Miaoli pays 80% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $23.00 in Miaoli vs $32.00 in Taichung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $314 vs $369 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 Taichung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Miaoli and Taichung differ by about 46% in total monthly costs ($786 vs $1,148 including rent). Miaoli is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 80% 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: $222 in Miaoli versus $401 in Taichung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Taichung. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $786 per month in Miaoli versus $1,148 in Taichung – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $786 in Miaoli versus $1,148 in Taichung, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Miaoli but tight or insufficient in Taichung. 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 Taichung 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 46% less than in Taichung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.