Cost of Living Comparison Between Pingtung city and Taichung Cost of Living Comparison Between Pingtung city and Taichung

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $897 per month in Pingtung city vs $1,116 in Taichung, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,476 per month in Pingtung city vs $1,868 in Taichung, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,054 per month in Pingtung city vs $2,619 in Taichung, rent included.

Pingtung city is about 20% cheaper than Taichung, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Pingtung city and Taichung are more affordable than the global median – Pingtung city 34% lower, Taichung 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.50 NT$175

$4.69 NT$149

17.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.63 NT$1,007

$31.50 NT$1,003

0.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.74 NT$151

$4.71 NT$150

0.64%

Cappuccino

$2.83 NT$90.2

$2.84 NT$90.4

-0.35%

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

$0.99 NT$31.57

$0.98 NT$31.26

1.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 NT$22.76

$0.77 NT$24.66

-6.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 NT$49.50

$1.57 NT$49.97

-1.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 NT$79.7

$2.79 NT$88.8

-10.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.31 NT$105

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 NT$71.9

$1.72 NT$54.9

31.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.90 NT$92.5

$2.64 NT$84.2

9.85%

Eggs

$2.59 NT$82.3

$2.63 NT$83.6

-1.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.16 NT$483

$28.72 NT$914

-47.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.00 NT$255

$7.70 NT$245

3.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.16 NT$482

$16.71 NT$532

-9.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.44 NT$141

$4.24 NT$135

4.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 NT$62.5

$1.92 NT$61.0

2.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 NT$57.0

$1.86 NT$59.3

-3.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.13 NT$99.8

$2.21 NT$70.2

41.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 NT$39.36

$1.25 NT$39.85

-0.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 NT$62.0

$1.97 NT$62.6

-1.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 NT$77.4

$2.46 NT$78.2

-1.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 NT$28.73

$0.92 NT$29.15

-2.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.76 NT$120

$3.75 NT$120

0.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.00 NT$509

$15.82 NT$504

1.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 NT$51.8

$1.64 NT$52.3

-0.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 NT$68.3

$2.56 NT$81.5

-16.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 NT$14.59

$0.73 NT$23.24

-36.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.76 NT$1,011

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 NT$83.0

$2.69 NT$85.7

-2.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 NT$24.25

$0.98 NT$31.20

-22.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.13 NT$195

$9.64 NT$307

-36.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 NT$33.11

$1.06 NT$33.59

-1.89%

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

$33.9K NT$1.1M

$33.7K NT$1.1M

0.79%

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

$23.9K NT$760.2K

$23.2K NT$738.9K

2.88%

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

$110 NT$3,510

$108 NT$3,429

2.37%

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

$14.77 NT$470

$14.98 NT$477

-1.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.72 NT$851

$21.66 NT$689

23.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.20 NT$1,025

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.29 NT$423

Cinema Ticket

$9.99 NT$318

$9.69 NT$308

3.10%

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

$347 NT$11.0K

$343 NT$10.9K

1.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K NT$447.6K

$17.2K NT$546.1K

-18.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.7 NT$2,187

$68.9 NT$2,193

-0.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.58 NT$1,101

$36.40 NT$1,159

-5.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.0 NT$2,737

$83.3 NT$2,650

3.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 NT$3,194

$112 NT$3,577

-10.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$247 NT$7,876

$405 NT$12.9K

-38.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$155 NT$4,931

$280 NT$8,918

-44.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 NT$23.2K

$1,190 NT$37.9K

-38.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 NT$11.9K

$763 NT$24.3K

-50.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,101 NT$226.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,181 NT$164.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,962 NT$62.5K

$1,407 NT$44.8K

39.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.27

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

Last update for Pingtung city: September 14, 2026

Last update for Taichung: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $247 in Pingtung city versus $405 in Taichung. 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 39% higher in Pingtung city, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Pingtung city versus $32.00 in Taichung. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $338 vs $371 – making Pingtung city 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

Pingtung city vs Taichung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $897 in Pingtung city, $1,116 in Taichung – roughly 24% apart. Taichung costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,346 per month in Pingtung city and $1,674 in Taichung. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $897 in Pingtung city and $1,116 in Taichung. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $347 per month in Pingtung city and $343 in Taichung. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pingtung city, where all-in costs run around $897, than in Taichung at $1,116. In Pingtung city it covers expenses comfortably, while in Taichung it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pingtung city – 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 Pingtung city. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Taichung makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.