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: $1,669 in Spain versus $1,048 in Taiwan.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,464 in Spain versus $1,739 in Taiwan.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,258 in Spain versus $2,430 in Taiwan.
🌍Living in Spain is roughly 59% more expensive than in Taiwan on average.
📊Spain (22% above) and Taiwan (24% below) straddle the global median.
📏Internal cost variation is higher in Spain: monthly costs span $925 to $2,734, compared to $779–$1,350 in Taiwan. City choice carries more weight in Spain.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Spain
Taiwan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.12€14.65
$4.69NT$149
265.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.2€48.92
$31.60NT$1,006
80.98%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.68€9.99
$5.08NT$162
129.92%
Cappuccino
$2.44€2.08
$2.90NT$92.3
-15.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.70€2.31
$1.01NT$32.30
167.33%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85€1.58
$0.63NT$20.19
193.65%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.36€2.87
$1.86NT$59.1
80.65%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.14€3.54
$2.45NT$77.9
68.98%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Spain
Taiwan
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.20€1.02
$3.09NT$98.4
-61.17%
White Bread(500g)
$1.53€1.31
$1.82NT$58.0
-15.93%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.62€1.38
$3.08NT$97.9
-47.40%
Eggs
$3.38€2.89
$2.67NT$85.1
26.59%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.67€12.55
$17.10NT$544
-14.21%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.53€7.30
$8.56NT$273
-0.35%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$16.83€14.39
$20.38NT$649
-17.42%
Apples(1kg)
$2.55€2.19
$4.55NT$145
-43.96%
Banana(1kg)
$2.10€1.79
$2.76NT$87.9
-23.91%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.22€1.90
$2.91NT$92.8
-23.71%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.65€2.27
$3.86NT$123
-31.35%
Potato(1kg)
$1.83€1.56
$2.67NT$85.0
-31.46%
Onion(1kg)
$2.02€1.72
$2.23NT$71.1
-9.42%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.33€1.14
$2.16NT$68.8
-38.43%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.80€0.69
$1.18NT$37.70
-32.20%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.90€5.90
$3.85NT$123
79.22%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.94€5.08
$12.44NT$396
-52.25%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.28€1.09
$1.56NT$49.79
-17.95%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.08€1.78
$2.16NT$68.9
-3.70%
🚌 Getting Around
Spain
Taiwan
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.76€1.51
$0.60NT$19.06
193.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$34.96€29.91
$37.15NT$1,183
-5.90%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.63€3.96
$2.82NT$89.7
64.18%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.53€1.31
$0.77NT$24.46
98.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$25.23€21.58
$9.34NT$297
170.13%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.79€1.53
$1.02NT$32.52
75.49%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.9K€31.6K
$32.8KNT$1.0M
12.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.9K€25.6K
$23.6KNT$752.7K
26.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spain
Taiwan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$152€130
$85.5NT$2,723
77.81%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.45€15.78
$17.30NT$551
6.65%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.86€28.11
$23.11NT$736
42.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Spain
Taiwan
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$46.36€39.66
$36.73NT$1,169
26.22%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.82€13.53
$11.34NT$361
39.51%
Cinema Ticket
$9.86€8.43
$10.16NT$323
-2.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Spain
Taiwan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$540€462
$548NT$17.4K
-1.40%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.9K€9,354
$15.8KNT$504.4K
-30.98%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Spain
Taiwan
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.9€75.2
$60.5NT$1,927
45.26%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.27€31.88
$32.84NT$1,046
13.49%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$92.2€78.9
$82.1NT$2,615
12.29%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111€94.6
$99.3NT$3,161
11.42%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Spain
Taiwan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,036€887
$508NT$16.2K
104.05%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$811€693
$308NT$9,821
162.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,667€1,426
$1,093NT$34.8K
52.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,261€1,079
$785NT$25.0K
60.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,217€3,607
$8,407NT$267.7K
-49.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,693€2,303
$5,403NT$172.0K
-50.16%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Spain
Taiwan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,047€1,751
$1,685NT$53.6K
21.51%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.29
2.4
37.08%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Spain: August 17, 2026
Last update for Taiwan: August 16, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $919 in Spain, $415 in Taiwan. Capital cities: $1,614 in Madrid vs $847 in Taipei.
💰National salary averages: $2,026 in Spain, $1,883 in Taiwan. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 121% higher in Spain.
⭐Dining out costs 90% more in Spain.
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 $1,830 per month in Spain and $1,065 in Taiwan, there's a 72% 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?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Taiwan: 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 is consistently higher than in 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 compared to Taiwan?
In Taiwan, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in Spain it stretches only to regional areas and 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 in 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.