Cost of Living Comparison Between Taichung and Chiayi Cost of Living Comparison Between Taichung and Chiayi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,203 in Taichung versus $1,173 in Chiayi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,954 in Taichung versus $1,961 in Chiayi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,704 in Taichung versus $2,750 in Chiayi.

Living in Taichung is roughly 3% more expensive than Chiayi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Taichung 10% lower, Chiayi 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.99 NT$158

$6.76 NT$214

-26.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.95 NT$948

$40.59 NT$1,285

-26.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.46 NT$173

$5.62 NT$178

-2.85%

Cappuccino

$2.93 NT$92.8

$2.17 NT$68.8

35.02%

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

$1.16 NT$36.63

$1.13 NT$35.65

2.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 NT$27.21

$0.79 NT$24.90

8.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 NT$68.4

$1.88 NT$59.5

14.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 NT$89.6

$3.01 NT$95.2

-5.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.79 NT$120

$3.26 NT$103

16.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 NT$55.5

$1.90 NT$60.2

-7.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.77 NT$87.8

$3.18 NT$101

-12.89%

Eggs

$3.29 NT$104

$2.81 NT$89.1

17.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.49 NT$997

$20.24 NT$641

55.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.10 NT$256

$9.87 NT$313

-17.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.61 NT$494

$20.08 NT$635

-22.26%

Apples (1kg)

$4.72 NT$150

$5.22 NT$165

-9.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 NT$57.7

$2.97 NT$93.9

-38.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 NT$72.2

$2.86 NT$90.5

-20.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 NT$97.2

$4.30 NT$136

-28.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 NT$42.59

$2.83 NT$89.5

-52.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 NT$59.4

$2.21 NT$69.8

-14.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 NT$74.3

$1.97 NT$62.4

19.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 NT$40.64

$1.33 NT$42.22

-3.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 NT$131

$4.09 NT$129

1.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.69 NT$497

$4.84 NT$153

224.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 NT$52.1

$1.75 NT$55.3

-5.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 NT$82.9

$2.39 NT$75.7

9.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 NT$27.25

$0.82 NT$25.95

4.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.22 NT$925

$38.66 NT$1,224

-24.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 NT$93.7

$2.95 NT$93.2

0.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 NT$38.90

$0.41 NT$13.13

200.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.33 NT$327

$10.10 NT$320

2.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 NT$31.79

$1.03 NT$32.58

-2.91%

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

$34.4K NT$1.1M

$38.8K NT$1.2M

-11.53%

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

$26.4K NT$835.4K

$28.1K NT$888.4K

-5.96%

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

$97.3 NT$3,080

$72.1 NT$2,280

35.05%

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

$24.15 NT$764

$18.85 NT$596

28.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.53 NT$681

$24.69 NT$781

-12.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.96 NT$1,138

$37.78 NT$1,196

-4.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.14 NT$321

$15.13 NT$479

-32.98%

Cinema Ticket

$10.66 NT$337

$11.66 NT$369

-8.58%

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

$356 NT$11.3K

$645 NT$20.4K

-44.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.0K NT$664.8K

$18.8K NT$594.1K

11.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.7 NT$2,712

$59.7 NT$1,889

43.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.47 NT$1,091

$34.01 NT$1,077

1.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.9 NT$2,972

$92.9 NT$2,941

1.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 NT$4,137

$125 NT$3,952

4.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$385 NT$12.2K

$440 NT$13.9K

-12.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 NT$8,893

$290 NT$9,186

-3.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,025 NT$32.4K

$1,034 NT$32.7K

-0.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$714 NT$22.6K

$713 NT$22.6K

0.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,104 NT$224.8K

$7,483 NT$236.8K

-5.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,345 NT$169.2K

$5,182 NT$164.0K

3.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,415 NT$44.8K

$2,122 NT$67.1K

-33.31%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiayi: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $385 in Taichung and $440 in Chiayi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiayi pays 50% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $30.00 in Taichung vs $41.00 in Chiayi. Groceries flip the comparison at $398 vs $383, with Chiayi cheaper for home cooking.

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 Chiayi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiayi wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Taichung. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiayi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Chiayi earns 50% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $385 in Taichung versus $440 in Chiayi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,203 per month in Taichung versus $1,173 in Chiayi – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiayi runs roughly 32% less than in Taichung. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,173 in Chiayi versus $1,203 in Taichung, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiayi but tight or insufficient in Taichung. The gap between the two cities makes Chiayi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Taichung and Chiayi are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiayi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Taichung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.