Cost of Living Comparison Between New Taipei City and Kinmen Cost of Living Comparison Between New Taipei City and Kinmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,384 per month in New Taipei City vs $1,127 in Kinmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,281 per month in New Taipei City vs $1,886 in Kinmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,179 per month in New Taipei City vs $2,646 in Kinmen, rent included.

New Taipei City costs about 23% more than Kinmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

New Taipei City sits 3% above the global median, while Kinmen is 16% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.16 NT$163

$5.11 NT$161

0.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.11 NT$1,077

$30.99 NT$978

10.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 NT$179

$5.34 NT$169

6.18%

Cappuccino

$2.94 NT$92.7

$2.96 NT$93.4

-0.68%

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

$0.89 NT$28.00

$1.10 NT$34.59

-19.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 NT$24.78

$0.73 NT$22.91

6.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 NT$64.6

$1.80 NT$56.9

13.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 NT$86.4

$2.76 NT$87.0

-0.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.20 NT$101

$3.17 NT$100

0.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 NT$59.8

$1.95 NT$61.4

-3.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.01 NT$95.1

$2.92 NT$92.1

3.08%

Eggs

$2.92 NT$92.2

$2.91 NT$91.7

0.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.31 NT$641

$18.90 NT$597

7.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.78 NT$277

$8.31 NT$262

5.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.32 NT$641

$16.85 NT$532

20.59%

Apples (1kg)

$4.67 NT$148

$4.52 NT$143

3.32%

Banana (1kg)

$2.64 NT$83.3

$2.53 NT$79.7

4.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.73 NT$86.1

$2.66 NT$83.9

2.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 NT$133

$3.48 NT$110

20.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 NT$88.6

$2.80 NT$88.5

0.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 NT$72.3

$2.24 NT$70.6

2.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 NT$64.1

$2.06 NT$64.9

-1.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 NT$41.19

$1.20 NT$38.01

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 NT$128

$4.18 NT$132

-3.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.37 NT$296

$13.93 NT$440

-32.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 NT$52.1

$1.70 NT$53.7

-2.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 NT$73.7

$2.54 NT$80.3

-7.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 NT$20.45

$0.83 NT$26.22

-21.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.17 NT$1,300

$38.88 NT$1,227

5.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.84 NT$89.8

$2.96 NT$93.4

-4.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 NT$23.48

$0.73 NT$23.01

1.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.21 NT$322

$10.00 NT$316

2.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 NT$33.81

$1.08 NT$34.01

-0.93%

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

$38.7K NT$1.2M

$34.8K NT$1.1M

10.98%

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

$28.0K NT$885.3K

$26.1K NT$824.0K

7.43%

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

$97.4 NT$3,076

$85.0 NT$2,683

14.65%

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

$24.77 NT$782

$24.64 NT$778

0.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 NT$765

$22.33 NT$705

8.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.12 NT$1,235

$37.99 NT$1,199

2.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.27 NT$514

$14.88 NT$470

9.34%

Cinema Ticket

$11.65 NT$368

$10.07 NT$318

15.69%

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

$633 NT$20.0K

$426 NT$13.4K

48.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.7K NT$589.8K

$15.3K NT$482.5K

22.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.3 NT$2,472

$83.9 NT$2,649

-6.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.44 NT$1,087

$34.07 NT$1,075

1.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 NT$2,998

$90.5 NT$2,858

4.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 NT$3,889

$100 NT$3,167

22.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$655 NT$20.7K

$437 NT$13.8K

49.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 NT$14.6K

$292 NT$9,219

58.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,731 NT$54.6K

$1,040 NT$32.8K

66.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 NT$34.2K

$719 NT$22.7K

50.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.7K NT$399.6K

$7,225 NT$228.1K

75.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,233 NT$228.4K

$5,930 NT$187.2K

21.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,366 NT$43.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.19

2.18

0.46%

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

Last update for New Taipei City: April 26, 2026

Last update for Kinmen: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $655 in New Taipei City versus $437 in Kinmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in New Taipei City versus $31.00 in Kinmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $380 vs $366 – making Kinmen 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 Kinmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – New Taipei City is pricier by about 23%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,076 per month in New Taipei City and $1,690 in Kinmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $633 per month in New Taipei City and $426 in Kinmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kinmen, where all-in costs run around $1,127, than in New Taipei City at $1,384. In Kinmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in New Taipei City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kinmen – 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 Kinmen. 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.