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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,239 in New Taipei City versus $1,116 in Taichung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,038 in New Taipei City versus $1,868 in Taichung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,837 in New Taipei City versus $2,619 in Taichung.

Living in New Taipei City is roughly 11% more expensive than in Taichung, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: New Taipei City 9% lower, Taichung 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 NT$150

$4.69 NT$149

0.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.51 NT$1,003

$31.50 NT$1,003

0.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.23 NT$166

$4.71 NT$150

11.04%

Cappuccino

$2.24 NT$71.2

$2.84 NT$90.4

-21.13%

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

$0.88 NT$28.04

$0.98 NT$31.26

-10.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 NT$17.94

$0.77 NT$24.66

-27.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 NT$53.3

$1.57 NT$49.97

6.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 NT$78.0

$2.79 NT$88.8

-12.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.08 NT$98.1

$3.31 NT$105

-6.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 NT$57.8

$1.72 NT$54.9

5.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 NT$70.0

$2.64 NT$84.2

-16.67%

Eggs

$2.19 NT$69.6

$2.63 NT$83.6

-16.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.19 NT$802

$28.72 NT$914

-12.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.60 NT$337

$7.70 NT$245

37.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.94 NT$603

$16.71 NT$532

13.35%

Apples (1kg)

$4.13 NT$131

$4.24 NT$135

-2.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 NT$77.7

$1.92 NT$61.0

27.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 NT$89.6

$1.86 NT$59.3

51.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.99 NT$127

$2.21 NT$70.2

80.54%

Potato (1kg)

$4.02 NT$128

$1.25 NT$39.85

221.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 NT$66.0

$1.97 NT$62.6

5.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 NT$52.1

$2.46 NT$78.2

-33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 NT$33.16

$0.92 NT$29.15

13.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.46 NT$142

$3.75 NT$120

18.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.89 NT$283

$15.82 NT$504

-43.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 NT$47.28

$1.64 NT$52.3

-9.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 NT$63.9

$2.56 NT$81.5

-21.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 NT$26.19

$0.73 NT$23.24

12.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.92 NT$1,207

$31.76 NT$1,011

19.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.82 NT$89.8

$2.69 NT$85.7

4.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 NT$31.61

$0.98 NT$31.20

1.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.69 NT$309

$9.64 NT$307

0.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 NT$32.00

$1.06 NT$33.59

-4.72%

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

$33.9K NT$1.1M

$33.7K NT$1.1M

0.73%

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

$24.4K NT$775.7K

$23.2K NT$738.9K

4.97%

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

$112 NT$3,558

$108 NT$3,429

3.76%

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

$16.69 NT$531

$14.98 NT$477

11.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.96 NT$731

$21.66 NT$689

6.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.29 NT$1,251

$32.20 NT$1,025

22.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.78 NT$248

$13.29 NT$423

-41.46%

Cinema Ticket

$12.64 NT$402

$9.69 NT$308

30.44%

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

$650 NT$20.7K

$343 NT$10.9K

89.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.2K NT$676.1K

$17.2K NT$546.1K

23.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.16 NT$1,119

$68.9 NT$2,193

-48.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.25 NT$995

$36.40 NT$1,159

-14.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 NT$2,985

$83.3 NT$2,650

12.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.4 NT$3,162

$112 NT$3,577

-11.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 NT$20.6K

$405 NT$12.9K

59.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 NT$10.8K

$280 NT$8,918

21.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,396 NT$44.4K

$1,190 NT$37.9K

17.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$926 NT$29.5K

$763 NT$24.3K

21.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.4K NT$394.3K

$7,101 NT$226.0K

74.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,248 NT$230.7K

$5,181 NT$164.9K

39.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,391 NT$44.3K

$1,407 NT$44.8K

-1.16%

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 Taichung: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $646 in New Taipei City and $405 in Taichung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taichung pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in New Taipei City vs $32.00 in Taichung. Groceries flip the comparison at $383 vs $371, with Taichung cheaper for home cooking.

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 Taichung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New Taipei City and Taichung differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($1,239 vs $1,116 including rent). Taichung is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1% lower in Taichung. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $646 in New Taipei City versus $405 in Taichung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,239 per month in New Taipei City versus $1,116 in Taichung – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Taichung runs roughly 19% less than in New Taipei City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,116 in Taichung versus $1,239 in New Taipei City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Taichung but tight or insufficient in New Taipei City. The gap between the two cities makes Taichung 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, New Taipei City 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 Taichung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in New Taipei City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.