Cost of Living Comparison Between Spain and TaiwanCost of Living Comparison Between Spain and Taiwan
Monthly Cost of Living
😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,642 in Spain versus $1,146 in Taiwan.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,399 in Spain versus $1,897 in Taiwan.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,155 in Spain versus $2,647 in Taiwan.
😐Living in Spain is roughly 43% more expensive than Taiwan on average.
📊Spain (22% above) and Taiwan (15% below) straddle the global median.
📏Internal cost variation is higher in Spain: monthly costs span $1,127 to $3,255, compared to $877–$1,497 in Taiwan. City choice carries more weight in Spain.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Spain
Taiwan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.98€13.77
$5.05NT$160
216.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.6€49.63
$33.32NT$1,053
72.87%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.27€8.85
$5.53NT$175
85.71%
Cappuccino
$2.38€2.05
$3.18NT$101
-25.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.58€2.22
$1.04NT$32.99
148.08%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83€1.58
$0.70NT$22.11
161.43%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.54€3.05
$1.99NT$63.1
77.89%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.09€3.52
$2.68NT$84.6
52.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Spain
Taiwan
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.22€1.05
$3.30NT$104
-63.03%
White Bread(500g)
$1.53€1.31
$1.93NT$61.1
-20.73%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.60€1.38
$3.27NT$103
-51.07%
Eggs
$2.93€2.53
$2.92NT$92.5
0.34%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.33€12.34
$17.49NT$553
-18.07%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.31€7.16
$9.11NT$288
-8.78%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.62€13.46
$20.47NT$647
-23.69%
Apples(1kg)
$2.53€2.18
$4.84NT$153
-47.73%
Banana(1kg)
$1.99€1.72
$2.58NT$81.5
-22.87%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.11€1.82
$2.90NT$91.7
-27.24%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.54€2.19
$3.73NT$118
-31.90%
Potato(1kg)
$1.77€1.52
$2.85NT$90.3
-37.89%
Onion(1kg)
$1.98€1.70
$2.24NT$70.9
-11.61%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.30€1.12
$2.08NT$65.7
-37.50%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.74€0.64
$1.30NT$41.17
-43.08%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.19€5.33
$4.19NT$132
47.73%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.93€5.11
$14.33NT$453
-58.62%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.25€1.07
$1.72NT$54.5
-27.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07€1.78
$2.36NT$74.6
-12.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Spain
Taiwan
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.78€1.53
$0.88NT$27.76
102.27%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$34.91€30.08
$41.45NT$1,310
-15.78%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.48€3.86
$3.13NT$98.8
43.13%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.34€1.15
$0.73NT$23.04
83.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$26.24€22.61
$9.97NT$315
163.19%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.76€1.51
$1.05NT$33.28
67.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.2K€32.9K
$37.0KNT$1.2M
3.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.6K€27.3K
$26.1KNT$824.7K
21.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spain
Taiwan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$149€128
$83.4NT$2,638
78.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.16€17.37
$24.03NT$759
-16.10%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.11€29.39
$23.86NT$754
42.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Spain
Taiwan
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$47.12€40.60
$39.19NT$1,239
20.23%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.83€13.64
$11.83NT$374
33.81%
Cinema Ticket
$9.47€8.16
$11.05NT$349
-14.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Spain
Taiwan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$517€445
$556NT$17.6K
-7.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.2K€8,752
$15.7KNT$497.7K
-35.48%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Spain
Taiwan
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.2€75.1
$67.9NT$2,145
28.46%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.36€32.19
$32.79NT$1,037
13.94%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$91.3€78.7
$92.4NT$2,921
-1.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106€91.0
$117NT$3,694
-9.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Spain
Taiwan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,074€925
$540NT$17.1K
98.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$815€702
$374NT$11.8K
117.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,691€1,457
$1,179NT$37.3K
43.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,228€1,058
$867NT$27.4K
41.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,338€3,738
$9,333NT$295.0K
-53.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,744€2,364
$6,081NT$192.2K
-54.87%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Spain
Taiwan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,031€1,750
$1,757NT$55.5K
15.59%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.51
2.14
64.02%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Spain: June 9, 2026
Last update for Taiwan: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $898 in Spain, $451 in Taiwan. Capital cities: $1,609 in Madrid vs $782 in Taipei.
💰National salary averages: $2,011 in Spain, $1,918 in Taiwan. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 99% higher in Spain.
⭐Dining out costs 71% more in Spain.
⭐Public transport is 18% more expensive in Taiwan.
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
Spain vs Taiwan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Spain or Taiwan?
At $2,191 per month in Spain and $1,187 in Taiwan, there's a 85% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Spain or Taiwan?
Taiwan is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
How do rents compare between Spain and Taiwan?
Rent in Spain beats Taiwan across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
How far does $2,000 go in Spain vs Taiwan?
In Taiwan, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In Spain, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in Spain and Taiwan?
It depends on what you're after. Taiwan wins on affordability; Spain may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.