Cost of Living Comparison Between Taichung and Chang-hua Cost of Living Comparison Between Taichung and Chang-hua

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,180 per month in Taichung vs $887 in Chang-hua, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,966 per month in Taichung vs $1,367 in Chang-hua, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,752 per month in Taichung vs $1,848 in Chang-hua, rent included.

Taichung costs about 33% more than Chang-hua, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Taichung and Chang-hua are more affordable than the global median – Taichung 12% lower, Chang-hua 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.99 NT$161

$3.77 NT$122

32.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.18 NT$975

$26.71 NT$863

12.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 NT$172

$5.84 NT$189

-9.08%

Cappuccino

$2.91 NT$94.1

$1.86 NT$60.2

56.45%

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

$1.15 NT$37.25

$0.91 NT$29.43

26.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 NT$27.00

$0.43 NT$13.86

95.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.08 NT$67.2

$1.44 NT$46.57

44.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 NT$92.5

$2.08 NT$67.3

37.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.91 NT$127

$2.76 NT$89.1

41.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 NT$56.8

$1.88 NT$60.7

-6.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.78 NT$89.7

$3.13 NT$101

-11.18%

Eggs

$3.14 NT$102

$2.79 NT$90.2

12.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.84 NT$1,029

$17.71 NT$572

79.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.23 NT$266

$7.81 NT$252

5.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.91 NT$514

$19.98 NT$646

-20.37%

Apples (1kg)

$4.68 NT$151

$5.04 NT$163

-7.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 NT$55.9

$2.97 NT$95.9

-41.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 NT$72.0

$2.77 NT$89.5

-19.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 NT$99.1

$3.10 NT$100

-0.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 NT$41.73

$2.65 NT$85.5

-51.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 NT$61.5

$2.17 NT$70.3

-12.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.36 NT$76.4

$1.98 NT$63.9

19.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 NT$40.17

$0.81 NT$26.13

53.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 NT$129

$4.15 NT$134

-3.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.50 NT$501

$9.07 NT$293

70.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 NT$53.5

$1.55 NT$50.0

6.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 NT$86.2

$2.35 NT$76.1

13.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 NT$28.24

$1.72 NT$55.6

-49.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.55 NT$923

$36.55 NT$1,181

-21.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 NT$95.0

$2.89 NT$93.5

1.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 NT$38.32

$0.72 NT$23.42

65.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.22 NT$330

$10.29 NT$333

-0.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 NT$34.19

$1.08 NT$34.76

-1.85%

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

$33.7K NT$1.1M

$37.3K NT$1.2M

-9.87%

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

$26.4K NT$853.2K

$26.9K NT$868.8K

-1.80%

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

$95.7 NT$3,091

$34.24 NT$1,106

179.41%

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

$24.69 NT$798

$18.64 NT$602

32.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.22 NT$686

$19.98 NT$645

6.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.41 NT$1,144

$25.57 NT$826

38.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.35 NT$334

$15.29 NT$494

-32.31%

Cinema Ticket

$10.85 NT$351

$10.36 NT$335

4.73%

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

$357 NT$11.5K

$636 NT$20.6K

-43.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K NT$671.2K

$8,532 NT$275.7K

143.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.9 NT$2,777

$53.7 NT$1,736

59.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.53 NT$1,116

$16.77 NT$542

105.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.3 NT$3,079

$84.5 NT$2,729

12.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 NT$4,227

$54.8 NT$1,772

138.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$377 NT$12.2K

$310 NT$10.0K

21.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 NT$9,088

$184 NT$5,932

53.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,044 NT$33.7K

$533 NT$17.2K

95.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$727 NT$23.5K

$187 NT$6,039

288.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,208 NT$232.9K

$2,945 NT$95.2K

144.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,156 NT$166.6K

$1,608 NT$51.9K

220.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,392 NT$45.0K

$2,032 NT$65.7K

-31.51%

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 Taichung: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chang-hua: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $377 in Taichung versus $310 in Chang-hua. 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 46% higher in Chang-hua, 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 $30.00 in Taichung versus $27.00 in Chang-hua. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $400 vs $352 – making Chang-hua 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

Taichung vs Chang-hua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taichung costs about 33% more than Chang-hua, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,770 per month in Taichung and $1,330 in Chang-hua. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chang-hua, 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 $1,180 in Taichung and $887 in Chang-hua. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 28% less in Chang-hua. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chang-hua, where all-in costs run around $887, than in Taichung at $1,180. In Chang-hua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Taichung it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chang-hua – 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 Chang-hua. 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.