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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,125 per month in Pingtung city vs $1,494 in Taipei, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,857 per month in Pingtung city vs $2,394 in Taipei, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,589 per month in Pingtung city vs $3,295 in Taipei, rent included.

Pingtung city is about 25% cheaper than Taipei, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Pingtung city sits 16% below the global median, while Taipei is 11% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.94 NT$155

$6.64 NT$209

-25.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.69 NT$966

$40.45 NT$1,273

-24.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 NT$171

$5.79 NT$182

-6.04%

Cappuccino

$3.03 NT$95.3

$3.75 NT$118

-19.20%

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

$1.03 NT$32.29

$1.13 NT$35.42

-8.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 NT$23.98

$0.72 NT$22.75

5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 NT$52.7

$3.31 NT$104

-49.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 NT$82.8

$3.30 NT$104

-20.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.83 NT$121

$3.12 NT$98.2

22.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 NT$62.3

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.80 NT$88.3

$3.07 NT$96.5

-8.79%

Eggs

$3.19 NT$100

$2.91 NT$91.7

9.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.76 NT$496

$19.73 NT$621

-20.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.26 NT$260

$9.90 NT$311

-16.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.02 NT$504

$20.36 NT$641

-21.32%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 NT$143

$5.15 NT$162

-11.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 NT$57.2

$2.92 NT$91.8

-37.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 NT$72.5

$2.89 NT$90.8

-20.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.99 NT$94.3

$4.26 NT$134

-29.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 NT$40.88

$2.79 NT$88.0

-53.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 NT$59.5

$2.19 NT$69.1

-13.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 NT$60.5

$1.97 NT$62.1

-2.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 NT$37.28

$1.39 NT$43.72

-15.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 NT$125

$4.00 NT$126

-0.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.77 NT$496

$14.48 NT$456

8.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 NT$54.6

$1.75 NT$55.1

-1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 NT$80.7

$2.42 NT$76.2

5.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 NT$27.58

$0.89 NT$28.05

-1.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.47 NT$1,211

$41.16 NT$1,296

-6.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 NT$90.2

$2.91 NT$91.6

-1.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 NT$23.03

$0.79 NT$24.94

-7.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.01 NT$189

$10.05 NT$316

-40.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 NT$33.21

$1.07 NT$33.63

-0.93%

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

$33.4K NT$1.1M

$38.1K NT$1.2M

-12.52%

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

$25.8K NT$811.5K

$27.9K NT$877.6K

-7.54%

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

$95.5 NT$3,005

$84.9 NT$2,672

12.45%

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

$25.05 NT$788

$18.69 NT$588

34.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.34 NT$672

$24.75 NT$779

-13.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.05 NT$1,166

$42.03 NT$1,323

-11.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.42 NT$485

$14.06 NT$443

9.67%

Cinema Ticket

$10.11 NT$318

$11.84 NT$373

-14.61%

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

$362 NT$11.4K

$626 NT$19.7K

-42.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.2K NT$353.2K

$18.6K NT$586.5K

-39.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.5 NT$2,627

$58.9 NT$1,855

41.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.63 NT$1,090

$34.01 NT$1,071

1.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.0 NT$2,833

$95.1 NT$2,995

-5.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 NT$3,254

$124 NT$3,891

-16.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 NT$13.7K

$789 NT$24.8K

-44.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$293 NT$9,227

$541 NT$17.0K

-45.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,023 NT$32.2K

$1,667 NT$52.5K

-38.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$732 NT$23.0K

$1,113 NT$35.0K

-34.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K NT$430.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,450 NT$266.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,946 NT$61.2K

$1,713 NT$53.9K

13.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.18

2.19

-0.46%

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

Last update for Pingtung city: June 1, 2026

Last update for Taipei: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $437 in Pingtung city versus $789 in Taipei. 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 14% 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 $31.00 in Pingtung city versus $40.00 in Taipei. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $401 – 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 Taipei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,125 in Pingtung city, $1,494 in Taipei – roughly 33% apart. Taipei costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,688 per month in Pingtung city and $2,240 in Taipei. 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 $1,125 in Pingtung city and $1,494 in Taipei. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 7% less in Pingtung city. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pingtung city, where all-in costs run around $1,125, than in Taipei at $1,494. In Pingtung city it covers expenses comfortably, while in Taipei 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, Taipei makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.