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 $1,239 per month in New Taipei City vs $1,097 in Kinmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,038 per month in New Taipei City vs $1,883 in Kinmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,837 per month in New Taipei City vs $2,669 in Kinmen, rent included.

New Taipei City costs about 13% more than Kinmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both New Taipei City and Kinmen are more affordable than the global median – New Taipei City 9% lower, Kinmen 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 NT$150

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.51 NT$1,003

$32.24 NT$1,026

-2.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.23 NT$166

$4.77 NT$152

9.64%

Cappuccino

$2.24 NT$71.2

$2.92 NT$93.0

-23.29%

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

$0.88 NT$28.04

$0.92 NT$29.27

-4.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 NT$17.94

$0.73 NT$23.11

-23.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 NT$53.3

$1.65 NT$52.5

1.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 NT$78.0

$2.51 NT$79.8

-2.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.08 NT$98.1

$3.04 NT$96.7

1.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 NT$57.8

$1.92 NT$61.1

-5.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 NT$70.0

$2.87 NT$91.4

-23.34%

Eggs

$2.19 NT$69.6

$2.72 NT$86.5

-19.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.19 NT$802

$20.04 NT$638

25.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.60 NT$337

$7.95 NT$253

33.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.94 NT$603

$21.41 NT$682

-11.54%

Apples (1kg)

$4.13 NT$131

$4.27 NT$136

-3.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 NT$77.7

$2.45 NT$77.9

-0.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 NT$89.6

$3.04 NT$96.6

-7.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.99 NT$127

$3.13 NT$99.7

27.48%

Potato (1kg)

$4.02 NT$128

$2.70 NT$85.9

48.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 NT$66.0

$2.13 NT$67.9

-2.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 NT$52.1

$2.35 NT$74.9

-30.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 NT$33.16

$1.10 NT$35.05

-5.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.46 NT$142

$3.95 NT$126

12.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.89 NT$283

$12.23 NT$389

-27.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 NT$47.28

$1.59 NT$50.5

-6.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 NT$63.9

$2.20 NT$70.2

-8.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 NT$26.19

$0.65 NT$20.70

26.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.92 NT$1,207

$36.78 NT$1,171

3.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.82 NT$89.8

$2.76 NT$87.9

2.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 NT$31.61

$0.80 NT$25.50

23.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.69 NT$309

$9.60 NT$306

0.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 NT$32.00

$1.05 NT$33.28

-3.81%

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

$33.9K NT$1.1M

$33.4K NT$1.1M

1.61%

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

$24.4K NT$775.7K

$24.7K NT$787.8K

-1.54%

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

$112 NT$3,558

$89.3 NT$2,844

25.11%

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

$16.69 NT$531

$18.27 NT$582

-8.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.96 NT$731

$22.19 NT$706

3.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.29 NT$1,251

$37.02 NT$1,178

6.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.78 NT$248

Cinema Ticket

$12.64 NT$402

$10.20 NT$325

23.92%

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

$650 NT$20.7K

$529 NT$16.8K

22.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.2K NT$676.1K

$17.2K NT$547.2K

23.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.16 NT$1,119

$63.1 NT$2,008

-44.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.25 NT$995

$34.58 NT$1,101

-9.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 NT$2,985

$84.7 NT$2,697

10.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.4 NT$3,162

$100 NT$3,187

-0.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 NT$20.6K

$405 NT$12.9K

59.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 NT$10.8K

$258 NT$8,228

31.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,396 NT$44.4K

$978 NT$31.1K

42.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$926 NT$29.5K

$754 NT$24.0K

22.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.4K NT$394.3K

$7,256 NT$231.0K

70.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,248 NT$230.7K

$5,030 NT$160.1K

44.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,391 NT$44.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.81

2.27

23.79%

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 Kinmen: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $646 in New Taipei City versus $405 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 $32.00 in New Taipei City versus $32.00 in Kinmen. Groceries tell a different story – $383 in New Taipei City vs $372 in Kinmen – so Kinmen 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

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

Yes – New Taipei City is pricier by about 13%, 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 $1,859 per month in New Taipei City and $1,646 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 $650 per month in New Taipei City and $529 in Kinmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% 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 $1,097, than in New Taipei City at $1,239. 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.