Cost of Living Comparison Between Taichung and Douliu Cost of Living Comparison Between Taichung and Douliu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,148 per month in Taichung vs $1,130 in Douliu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,904 per month in Taichung vs $1,853 in Douliu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,659 per month in Taichung vs $2,576 in Douliu, rent included.

Taichung costs about 2% more than Douliu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Taichung and Douliu are more affordable than the global median – Taichung 16% lower, Douliu 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.83 NT$153

$3.68 NT$117

31.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.11 NT$1,019

$22.43 NT$712

43.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 NT$152

$5.69 NT$181

-15.99%

Cappuccino

$2.74 NT$87.1

$3.45 NT$109

-20.58%

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

$0.99 NT$31.36

$0.91 NT$28.72

8.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 NT$24.16

$0.59 NT$18.83

28.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.60 NT$50.7

$2.81 NT$89.1

-43.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 NT$90.6

$3.72 NT$118

-23.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.17 NT$101

$3.07 NT$97.5

3.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 NT$56.0

$1.87 NT$59.4

-5.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.67 NT$84.6

$3.29 NT$104

-18.84%

Eggs

$2.50 NT$79.4

$2.64 NT$83.7

-5.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.55 NT$906

$18.83 NT$597

51.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.72 NT$245

$9.94 NT$315

-22.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.58 NT$526

$21.68 NT$688

-23.52%

Apples (1kg)

$4.19 NT$133

$5.02 NT$159

-16.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 NT$62.3

$3.34 NT$106

-41.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 NT$58.8

$3.00 NT$95.1

-38.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 NT$71.0

$4.33 NT$137

-48.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 NT$39.48

$2.83 NT$89.6

-56.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 NT$60.9

$2.36 NT$75.0

-18.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 NT$76.4

$1.73 NT$54.9

39.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 NT$28.40

$1.15 NT$36.37

-21.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.85 NT$122

$3.87 NT$123

-0.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.07 NT$510

$14.02 NT$445

14.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 NT$51.4

$1.61 NT$51.1

0.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 NT$78.7

$2.20 NT$69.9

12.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 NT$23.43

$0.65 NT$20.47

13.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.80 NT$1,009

$36.67 NT$1,163

-13.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 NT$83.1

$2.75 NT$87.1

-4.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 NT$29.63

$0.78 NT$24.61

19.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.67 NT$307

$9.62 NT$305

0.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 NT$33.47

$1.01 NT$31.95

3.96%

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

$33.3K NT$1.1M

$33.0K NT$1.0M

0.99%

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

$23.3K NT$739.5K

$24.0K NT$760.8K

-2.81%

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

$110 NT$3,480

$82.3 NT$2,610

33.33%

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

$15.30 NT$485

$17.78 NT$564

-13.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.93 NT$664

$27.62 NT$876

-24.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.98 NT$1,046

$36.21 NT$1,149

-8.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.13 NT$417

Cinema Ticket

$10.01 NT$318

$9.47 NT$301

5.70%

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

$336 NT$10.7K

$616 NT$19.6K

-45.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K NT$534.0K

$16.9K NT$535.7K

-0.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 NT$2,155

$56.8 NT$1,801

19.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.17 NT$1,147

$40.64 NT$1,289

-11.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 NT$2,715

$82.5 NT$2,616

3.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 NT$3,465

$101 NT$3,203

8.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$401 NT$12.7K

$395 NT$12.5K

1.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$283 NT$8,979

$250 NT$7,946

13.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,237 NT$39.2K

$960 NT$30.5K

28.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$747 NT$23.7K

$729 NT$23.1K

2.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,108 NT$225.5K

$7,200 NT$228.4K

-1.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,222 NT$165.7K

$4,928 NT$156.3K

5.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,393 NT$44.2K

$2,526 NT$80.1K

-44.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.27

2.35

-3.40%

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

Last update for Taichung: August 30, 2026

Last update for Douliu: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $401 in Taichung versus $395 in Douliu. 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 81% higher in Douliu, 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 $22.00 in Douliu. Groceries tell a different story – $369 in Taichung vs $398 in Douliu – so Taichung 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 Douliu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taichung costs about 2% more than Douliu, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,695 in Douliu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Douliu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Taichung and $22.00 in Douliu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,148 in Taichung and $1,130 in Douliu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Douliu, where all-in costs run around $1,130, than in Taichung at $1,148. In Douliu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Taichung it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Douliu – 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 Douliu. 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.