Cost of Living Comparison Between Msida and Taipei Cost of Living Comparison Between Msida and Taipei

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,815 per month in Msida vs $1,384 in Taipei, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,745 per month in Msida vs $2,233 in Taipei, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,676 per month in Msida vs $3,082 in Taipei, rent included.

Msida costs about 31% more than Taipei, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Msida and Taipei sit above the global median – Msida by 33%, Taipei by 1%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.58 €10.08

$4.61 NT$147

151.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.3 €45.53

$46.83 NT$1,492

11.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.38 €9.92

$5.54 NT$177

105.42%

Cappuccino

$2.35 €2.04

$3.46 NT$110

-32.08%

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

$2.38 €2.07

$0.92 NT$29.46

158.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 €1.00

$0.62 NT$19.84

83.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.63 €4.04

$2.78 NT$88.6

66.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 €3.04

$3.82 NT$122

-8.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 €1.01

$3.11 NT$99.1

-62.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 €1.17

$1.97 NT$62.7

-31.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.51 €3.93

$3.17 NT$101

42.27%

Eggs

$2.83 €2.47

$2.81 NT$89.6

0.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.76 €7.63

$19.49 NT$621

-55.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.79 €9.40

$10.00 NT$319

7.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.22 €16.75

$21.90 NT$698

-12.24%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 €3.70

$4.80 NT$153

-11.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 €2.53

$3.25 NT$103

-10.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.78 €3.30

$2.99 NT$95.1

26.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.45 €3.01

$4.35 NT$139

-20.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 €2.28

$2.70 NT$86.0

-3.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 €1.76

$2.28 NT$72.7

-11.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 €2.03

$1.70 NT$54.3

37.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.21

$1.17 NT$37.24

18.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.03 €6.13

$4.02 NT$128

74.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.38 €7.30

$14.29 NT$455

-41.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 €1.55

$1.66 NT$52.7

7.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 €2.11

$2.22 NT$70.8

9.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 €2.05

$0.61 NT$19.39

285.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.17 NT$1,216

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.73 €4.99

$2.73 NT$87.1

109.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.29 €2.00

$0.80 NT$25.62

186.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.37 €23.85

$9.18 NT$292

198.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 €1.32

$1.06 NT$33.61

42.45%

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

$38.3K €33.4K

$34.0K NT$1.1M

12.83%

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

$39.5K €34.4K

$24.4K NT$778.1K

61.72%

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

$84.6 €73.7

$83.2 NT$2,650

1.69%

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

$26.48 €23.07

$17.73 NT$565

49.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.09 €25.35

$28.05 NT$893

3.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.1 €50.6

$41.43 NT$1,319

40.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.34 NT$520

Cinema Ticket

$10.43 €9.09

$9.51 NT$303

9.67%

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

$379 €330

$615 NT$19.6K

-38.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K €10.2K

$17.1K NT$544.4K

-31.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.8 €77.3

$62.7 NT$1,996

41.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.07 €35.78

$40.32 NT$1,284

1.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 €91.5

$84.7 NT$2,697

24.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.3 €71.7

$105 NT$3,339

-21.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,081 €941

$898 NT$28.6K

20.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$942 €821

$490 NT$15.6K

92.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,831 €1,595

$1,550 NT$49.4K

18.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,518 €1,322

$971 NT$30.9K

56.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.2K NT$389.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,708 NT$245.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,867 €2,498

$1,714 NT$54.6K

67.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.9

2.4

20.83%

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

Last update for Msida: September 13, 2026

Last update for Taipei: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,081 in Msida versus $898 in Taipei. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 67% higher in Msida, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Msida versus $47.00 in Taipei. Groceries tell a different story – $332 in Msida vs $401 in Taipei – so Msida wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Msida vs Taipei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Msida is pricier by about 31%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,722 per month in Msida and $2,077 in Taipei. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,815 in Msida and $1,384 in Taipei. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $379 per month in Msida and $615 in Taipei. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Taipei, where all-in costs run around $1,384, than in Msida at $1,815. In Taipei it covers expenses comfortably, while in Msida it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Taipei – 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 Taipei. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Msida makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.