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: $1,362 in New Taipei City versus $1,182 in Taichung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,269 in New Taipei City versus $1,940 in Taichung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,175 in New Taipei City versus $2,698 in Taichung.

Living in New Taipei City is roughly 15% more expensive than Taichung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: New Taipei City is 1% above, Taichung is 12% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.04 NT$159

$4.98 NT$158

1.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.47 NT$1,090

$30.88 NT$976

11.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.84 NT$185

$5.39 NT$171

8.35%

Cappuccino

$2.92 NT$92.4

$3.04 NT$96.2

-3.95%

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

$0.94 NT$29.73

$1.10 NT$34.75

-14.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 NT$23.22

$0.80 NT$25.19

-8.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 NT$64.4

$2.17 NT$68.5

-5.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 NT$83.4

$2.82 NT$89.2

-6.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.21 NT$101

$3.77 NT$119

-14.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 NT$60.4

$1.75 NT$55.3

9.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 NT$95.9

$2.72 NT$86.1

11.40%

Eggs

$2.99 NT$94.5

$3.25 NT$103

-8.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.14 NT$637

$31.55 NT$997

-36.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.84 NT$279

$7.90 NT$250

11.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.89 NT$629

$15.51 NT$490

28.24%

Apples (1kg)

$4.53 NT$143

$4.50 NT$142

0.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 NT$81.3

$1.79 NT$56.7

43.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 NT$84.3

$2.19 NT$69.2

21.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 NT$134

$2.95 NT$93.2

44.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 NT$90.1

$1.34 NT$42.24

112.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 NT$72.2

$1.87 NT$59.2

21.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 NT$64.2

$2.37 NT$75.0

-14.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 NT$40.54

$1.26 NT$39.79

1.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.11 NT$130

$4.14 NT$131

-0.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.12 NT$288

$16.02 NT$507

-43.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 NT$52.5

$1.70 NT$53.8

-2.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 NT$77.0

$2.63 NT$83.2

-7.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 NT$20.66

$0.88 NT$27.78

-26.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.25 NT$1,304

$28.52 NT$902

44.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 NT$88.4

$2.82 NT$89.0

-0.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 NT$22.86

$1.19 NT$37.55

-39.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.19 NT$322

$10.27 NT$325

-0.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 NT$33.95

$1.05 NT$33.23

1.90%

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

$37.8K NT$1.2M

$33.3K NT$1.1M

13.52%

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

$27.2K NT$858.9K

$26.4K NT$834.0K

2.98%

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

$97.4 NT$3,079

$95.6 NT$3,022

1.91%

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

$24.30 NT$768

$25.01 NT$791

-2.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.30 NT$768

$21.47 NT$679

13.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.91 NT$1,262

$35.63 NT$1,126

12.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.82 NT$532

$10.26 NT$324

63.94%

Cinema Ticket

$11.99 NT$379

$10.63 NT$336

12.79%

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

$625 NT$19.7K

$355 NT$11.2K

75.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.0K NT$601.9K

$21.0K NT$665.4K

-9.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 NT$2,420

$83.0 NT$2,625

-7.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.58 NT$1,093

$34.55 NT$1,092

0.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 NT$2,901

$93.8 NT$2,966

-2.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 NT$3,843

$130 NT$4,116

-6.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$653 NT$20.6K

$381 NT$12.0K

71.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 NT$14.7K

$285 NT$8,999

62.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,693 NT$53.5K

$1,028 NT$32.5K

64.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,074 NT$34.0K

$721 NT$22.8K

49.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.7K NT$402.2K

$7,118 NT$225.0K

78.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,441 NT$235.2K

$5,250 NT$166.0K

41.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,400 NT$44.3K

$1,386 NT$43.8K

1.05%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Taichung: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $653 in New Taipei City and $381 in Taichung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New Taipei City pays 1% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $34.00 in New Taipei City vs $31.00 in Taichung. Groceries flip the comparison at $378 vs $395, with New Taipei City 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 15% in total monthly costs ($1,362 vs $1,182 including rent). Taichung is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

New Taipei City pays 1% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $653 in New Taipei City versus $381 in Taichung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,362 per month in New Taipei City versus $1,182 in Taichung – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Taichung runs roughly 45% less than in New Taipei City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,182 in Taichung versus $1,362 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 15% less than in New Taipei City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.