Cost of Living Comparison Between New Taipei City and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between New Taipei City and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,239 per month in New Taipei City vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,038 per month in New Taipei City vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,837 per month in New Taipei City vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

New Taipei City costs about 33% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both New Taipei City and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – New Taipei City 9% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 NT$150

$2.08 ฿69.2

125.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.51 NT$1,003

$19.61 ฿652

60.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.23 NT$167

$5.67 ฿189

-7.76%

Cappuccino

$2.24 NT$71.3

$1.81 ฿60.0

23.76%

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

$0.88 NT$28.06

$0.77 ฿25.55

14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 NT$17.95

$0.35 ฿11.48

60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 NT$53.3

$2.21 ฿73.6

-24.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 NT$78.1

$3.79 ฿126

-35.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.08 NT$98.2

$2.05 ฿68.1

50.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 NT$57.8

$1.51 ฿50.4

20.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 NT$70.0

$1.40 ฿46.51

57.14%

Eggs

$2.19 NT$69.6

$2.26 ฿75.1

-3.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.19 NT$802

$16.19 ฿538

55.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.60 NT$338

$2.90 ฿96.3

265.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.94 NT$603

$9.42 ฿313

101.06%

Apples (1kg)

$4.13 NT$131

$2.68 ฿89.1

54.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 NT$77.8

$1.09 ฿36.23

123.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 NT$89.7

$1.62 ฿53.8

73.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.99 NT$127

$1.46 ฿48.55

173.29%

Potato (1kg)

$4.02 NT$128

$1.28 ฿42.48

214.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 NT$66.1

$1.06 ฿35.17

95.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 NT$52.1

$0.72 ฿23.85

127.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 NT$33.18

$0.53 ฿17.49

96.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.46 NT$142

$4.23 ฿141

5.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.89 NT$283

$18.29 ฿608

-51.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 NT$47.31

$1.63 ฿54.2

-8.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 NT$64.0

$2.90 ฿96.5

-30.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 NT$26.20

$0.88 ฿29.20

-6.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.92 NT$1,208

$53.8 ฿1,788

-29.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.82 NT$89.9

$1.17 ฿38.99

141.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 NT$31.63

$0.58 ฿19.22

70.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.69 NT$309

$2.39 ฿79.3

305.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 NT$32.02

$1.45 ฿48.22

-30.34%

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

$33.9K NT$1.1M

$21.0K ฿698.6K

61.47%

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

$24.4K NT$776.1K

$26.4K ฿878.6K

-7.78%

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

$112 NT$3,560

$63.7 ฿2,116

75.60%

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

$16.69 NT$532

$12.89 ฿429

29.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.96 NT$731

$20.52 ฿682

11.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.29 NT$1,251

$39.02 ฿1,297

0.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.78 NT$248

$3.92 ฿130

98.47%

Cinema Ticket

$12.64 NT$402

$6.58 ฿219

92.10%

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

$650 NT$20.7K

$784 ฿26.1K

-17.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.2K NT$676.5K

$14.7K ฿487.9K

44.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.16 NT$1,120

$55.1 ฿1,833

-36.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.25 NT$995

$24.74 ฿823

26.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 NT$2,987

$94.1 ฿3,130

-0.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.4 NT$3,164

$74.0 ฿2,459

34.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 NT$20.6K

$490 ฿16.3K

31.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 NT$10.8K

$288 ฿9,582

18.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,396 NT$44.5K

$891 ฿29.6K

56.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$926 NT$29.5K

$521 ฿17.3K

77.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.4K NT$394.5K

$1,974 ฿65.6K

527.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,248 NT$230.9K

$1,444 ฿48.0K

401.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,391 NT$44.3K

$602 ฿20.0K

131.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.81

5.57

-49.55%

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

Last update for New Taipei City: September 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $646 in New Taipei City versus $490 in Chiang Mai. 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 131% higher in New Taipei City, 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 $32.00 in New Taipei City versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $383 vs $241 – making Chiang Mai 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

New Taipei City vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New Taipei City costs about 33% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,859 per month in New Taipei City and $1,398 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $650 per month in New Taipei City and $784 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 59% more in New Taipei City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in New Taipei City at $1,239. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in New Taipei City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,239 in New Taipei City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, New Taipei City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.