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: $1,182 in Taichung versus $1,160 in Chiayi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,940 in Taichung versus $1,967 in Chiayi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,698 in Taichung versus $2,774 in Chiayi.

Living in Taichung is roughly 2% more expensive than Chiayi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Taichung 12% lower, Chiayi 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.98 NT$158

$6.67 NT$211

-25.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.88 NT$976

$40.85 NT$1,291

-24.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.39 NT$171

$5.61 NT$177

-3.92%

Cappuccino

$3.04 NT$96.2

$2.17 NT$68.7

40.09%

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

$1.10 NT$34.75

$1.12 NT$35.40

-1.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 NT$25.19

$0.79 NT$24.90

1.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 NT$68.5

$1.91 NT$60.4

13.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 NT$89.2

$3.08 NT$97.4

-8.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.77 NT$119

$3.10 NT$97.9

21.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 NT$55.3

$1.96 NT$61.9

-10.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.72 NT$86.1

$3.06 NT$96.7

-11.11%

Eggs

$3.25 NT$103

$2.93 NT$92.7

10.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.55 NT$997

$20.43 NT$646

54.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.90 NT$250

$10.21 NT$323

-22.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.51 NT$490

$20.12 NT$636

-22.91%

Apples (1kg)

$4.50 NT$142

$5.19 NT$164

-13.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 NT$56.7

$2.98 NT$94.3

-39.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 NT$69.2

$2.79 NT$88.3

-21.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.95 NT$93.2

$4.10 NT$130

-28.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 NT$42.24

$2.82 NT$89.0

-52.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 NT$59.2

$2.28 NT$72.1

-17.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.37 NT$75.0

$1.90 NT$60.0

24.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 NT$39.79

$1.32 NT$41.67

-4.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 NT$131

$4.09 NT$129

1.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.02 NT$507

$4.66 NT$147

243.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 NT$53.8

$1.83 NT$58.0

-7.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 NT$83.2

$2.43 NT$76.7

8.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 NT$27.78

$0.83 NT$26.14

6.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.52 NT$902

$39.35 NT$1,244

-27.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.82 NT$89.0

$2.79 NT$88.3

1.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 NT$37.55

$0.41 NT$13.10

190.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.27 NT$325

$10.12 NT$320

1.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 NT$33.23

$1.03 NT$32.65

1.94%

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

$33.3K NT$1.1M

$38.7K NT$1.2M

-13.83%

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

$26.4K NT$834.0K

$27.1K NT$856.1K

-2.58%

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

$95.6 NT$3,022

$73.3 NT$2,318

30.38%

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

$25.01 NT$791

$18.55 NT$586

34.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.47 NT$679

$24.60 NT$778

-12.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.63 NT$1,126

$37.24 NT$1,177

-4.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.26 NT$324

$15.21 NT$481

-32.54%

Cinema Ticket

$10.63 NT$336

$11.88 NT$376

-10.52%

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

$355 NT$11.2K

$632 NT$20.0K

-43.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.0K NT$665.4K

$18.4K NT$581.8K

14.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.0 NT$2,625

$58.8 NT$1,859

41.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.55 NT$1,092

$33.12 NT$1,047

4.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 NT$2,966

$92.4 NT$2,921

1.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 NT$4,116

$123 NT$3,902

5.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 NT$12.0K

$438 NT$13.8K

-13.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 NT$8,999

$293 NT$9,252

-2.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 NT$32.5K

$1,056 NT$33.4K

-2.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 NT$22.8K

-0.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,118 NT$225.0K

$7,631 NT$241.2K

-6.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,250 NT$166.0K

$5,251 NT$166.0K

-0.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,386 NT$43.8K

$2,156 NT$68.1K

-35.72%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Chiayi: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $381 in Taichung and $438 in Chiayi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiayi pays 56% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $31.00 in Taichung vs $41.00 in Chiayi. Groceries flip the comparison at $395 vs $382, 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 2% 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 56% 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: $381 in Taichung versus $438 in Chiayi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,182 per month in Taichung versus $1,160 in Chiayi – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiayi runs roughly 38% less than in Taichung. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,160 in Chiayi versus $1,182 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 2% less than in Taichung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.