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: $1,116 in Taichung versus $1,058 in Chiayi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,868 in Taichung versus $1,497 in Chiayi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,619 in Taichung versus $1,937 in Chiayi.

Living in Taichung is roughly 6% more expensive than in Chiayi, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Taichung 18% lower, Chiayi 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.69 NT$149

$4.83 NT$154

-2.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.50 NT$1,003

$46.59 NT$1,483

-32.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.71 NT$150

$5.83 NT$186

-19.21%

Cappuccino

$2.84 NT$90.4

$3.53 NT$113

-19.55%

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

$0.98 NT$31.26

$0.85 NT$26.98

15.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 NT$24.66

$0.65 NT$20.81

18.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 NT$49.97

$2.85 NT$90.8

-44.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 NT$88.8

$3.68 NT$117

-24.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.31 NT$105

$3.12 NT$99.2

6.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 NT$54.9

$2.03 NT$64.8

-15.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 NT$84.2

$3.08 NT$97.9

-14.29%

Eggs

$2.63 NT$83.6

$2.69 NT$85.6

-2.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.72 NT$914

$19.52 NT$621

47.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 NT$245

$9.56 NT$304

-19.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.71 NT$532

$21.35 NT$680

-21.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 NT$135

$5.07 NT$161

-16.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 NT$61.0

$3.43 NT$109

-44.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 NT$59.3

$3.16 NT$101

-41.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 NT$70.2

$4.57 NT$145

-51.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 NT$39.85

$2.70 NT$85.8

-53.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 NT$62.6

$2.26 NT$71.8

-12.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 NT$78.2

$1.77 NT$56.4

38.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 NT$29.15

$1.12 NT$35.72

-17.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.75 NT$120

$3.84 NT$122

-2.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.82 NT$504

$4.63 NT$147

241.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 NT$52.3

$1.72 NT$54.9

-4.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 NT$81.5

$2.29 NT$73.0

11.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 NT$23.24

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.76 NT$1,011

$12.51 NT$398

153.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 NT$85.7

$2.61 NT$83.1

3.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 NT$31.20

$0.46 NT$14.64

113.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.64 NT$307

$9.23 NT$294

4.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 NT$33.59

$1.02 NT$32.49

3.92%

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

$33.7K NT$1.1M

$33.8K NT$1.1M

-0.26%

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

$23.2K NT$738.9K

$24.5K NT$778.3K

-5.06%

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

$108 NT$3,429

$65.8 NT$2,095

63.66%

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

$14.98 NT$477

$17.73 NT$564

-15.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.66 NT$689

$27.95 NT$890

-22.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.20 NT$1,025

$31.98 NT$1,018

0.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.29 NT$423

Cinema Ticket

$9.69 NT$308

$9.85 NT$314

-1.62%

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

$343 NT$10.9K

$631 NT$20.1K

-45.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K NT$546.1K

$16.6K NT$527.0K

3.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.9 NT$2,193

$63.4 NT$2,017

8.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.40 NT$1,159

$39.63 NT$1,262

-8.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.3 NT$2,650

$83.9 NT$2,672

-0.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 NT$3,577

$104 NT$3,304

8.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 NT$12.9K

$375 NT$11.9K

8.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 NT$8,918

$251 NT$7,981

11.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 NT$37.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$763 NT$24.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,101 NT$226.0K

$3,152 NT$100.3K

125.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,181 NT$164.9K

$1,883 NT$59.9K

175.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,407 NT$44.8K

$2,129 NT$67.8K

-33.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.27

2.4

-5.42%

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

Last update for Taichung: September 13, 2026

Last update for Chiayi: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $405 in Taichung and $375 in Chiayi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiayi pays 51% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Taichung vs $47.00 in Chiayi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $371 vs $382 per month, with Taichung cheaper across the board.

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 6% 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, salaries run 51% lower in Chiayi. 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: $405 in Taichung versus $375 in Chiayi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,116 per month in Taichung versus $1,058 in Chiayi – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiayi runs roughly 154% less than in Taichung. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,058 in Chiayi versus $1,116 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 6% less than in Taichung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.