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 $1,148 per month in Taichung vs $894 in Chang-hua, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,904 per month in Taichung vs $1,355 in Chang-hua, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,659 per month in Taichung vs $1,815 in Chang-hua, rent included.

Taichung costs about 28% more than Chang-hua, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Taichung and Chang-hua are more affordable than the global median – Taichung 16% lower, Chang-hua 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.83 NT$153

$4.06 NT$129

18.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.11 NT$1,019

$32.91 NT$1,044

-2.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 NT$152

$6.10 NT$194

-21.64%

Cappuccino

$2.74 NT$87.1

$1.65 NT$52.3

66.06%

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

$0.99 NT$31.36

$0.94 NT$29.79

5.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 NT$24.16

$0.61 NT$19.29

24.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.60 NT$50.7

$1.40 NT$44.52

14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 NT$90.6

$2.27 NT$72.1

25.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.17 NT$101

$2.35 NT$74.6

34.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 NT$56.0

$2.03 NT$64.5

-13.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.67 NT$84.6

$2.88 NT$91.3

-7.29%

Eggs

$2.50 NT$79.4

$2.72 NT$86.2

-8.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.55 NT$906

$16.36 NT$519

74.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.72 NT$245

$10.08 NT$320

-23.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.58 NT$526

$21.88 NT$694

-24.22%

Apples (1kg)

$4.19 NT$133

$5.05 NT$160

-17.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 NT$62.3

$3.32 NT$105

-40.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 NT$58.8

$3.02 NT$95.9

-38.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 NT$71.0

$3.14 NT$99.5

-28.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 NT$39.48

$2.69 NT$85.4

-53.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 NT$60.9

$2.21 NT$70.0

-13.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 NT$76.4

$1.75 NT$55.5

37.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 NT$28.40

$0.81 NT$25.56

11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.85 NT$122

$4.05 NT$128

-4.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.07 NT$510

$9.36 NT$297

71.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 NT$51.4

$1.46 NT$46.33

10.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 NT$78.7

$2.22 NT$70.5

11.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 NT$23.43

$1.55 NT$49.04

-52.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.80 NT$1,009

$34.54 NT$1,096

-7.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 NT$83.1

$2.70 NT$85.6

-2.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 NT$29.63

$0.75 NT$23.82

24.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.67 NT$307

$9.73 NT$309

-0.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 NT$33.47

$1.02 NT$32.37

2.94%

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

$33.3K NT$1.1M

$33.5K NT$1.1M

-0.57%

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

$23.3K NT$739.5K

$24.4K NT$774.1K

-4.47%

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

$110 NT$3,480

$31.05 NT$985

253.27%

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

$15.30 NT$485

$18.25 NT$579

-16.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.93 NT$664

$18.86 NT$598

10.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.98 NT$1,046

$31.87 NT$1,011

3.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.13 NT$417

Cinema Ticket

$10.01 NT$318

$9.25 NT$293

8.22%

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

$336 NT$10.7K

$630 NT$20.0K

-46.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K NT$534.0K

$7,739 NT$245.5K

117.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 NT$2,155

$50.1 NT$1,590

35.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.17 NT$1,147

$15.20 NT$482

137.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 NT$2,715

$80.2 NT$2,546

6.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 NT$3,465

$51.0 NT$1,617

114.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$401 NT$12.7K

$257 NT$8,159

55.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$283 NT$8,979

$171 NT$5,421

65.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,237 NT$39.2K

$497 NT$15.8K

149.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$747 NT$23.7K

$173 NT$5,486

332.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,108 NT$225.5K

$3,061 NT$97.1K

132.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,222 NT$165.7K

$1,650 NT$52.3K

216.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,393 NT$44.2K

$2,024 NT$64.2K

-31.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.27

2.2

3.18%

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

Last update for Taichung: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chang-hua: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $401 in Taichung versus $257 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 45% 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 $32.00 in Taichung versus $33.00 in Chang-hua. Groceries tell a different story – $369 in Taichung vs $364 in Chang-hua – so Chang-hua wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 28% 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 $1,723 per month in Taichung and $1,342 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 $1,148 in Taichung and $894 in Chang-hua. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 9% 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 $894, than in Taichung at $1,148. 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.