Cost of Living Comparison Between Taichung and Hsinchu Cost of Living Comparison Between Taichung and Hsinchu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,182 per month in Taichung vs $1,198 in Hsinchu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,940 per month in Taichung vs $1,934 in Hsinchu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,698 per month in Taichung vs $2,670 in Hsinchu, rent included.

Taichung is about 1% cheaper than Hsinchu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Taichung and Hsinchu are more affordable than the global median – Taichung 12% lower, Hsinchu 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.98 NT$158

$4.17 NT$132

19.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.88 NT$976

$34.17 NT$1,080

-9.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.39 NT$171

$5.27 NT$167

2.28%

Cappuccino

$3.04 NT$96.2

$3.05 NT$96.5

-0.33%

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

$1.10 NT$34.75

$0.99 NT$31.28

11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 NT$25.19

$0.70 NT$22.09

14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 NT$68.5

$1.71 NT$54.1

26.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 NT$89.2

$2.33 NT$73.6

21.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.77 NT$119

$3.17 NT$100

18.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 NT$55.3

$1.85 NT$58.6

-5.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.72 NT$86.1

$4.43 NT$140

-38.60%

Eggs

$3.25 NT$103

$2.57 NT$81.3

26.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.55 NT$997

$13.81 NT$437

128.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.90 NT$250

$4.94 NT$156

59.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.51 NT$490

$16.28 NT$515

-4.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.50 NT$142

$4.31 NT$136

4.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 NT$56.7

$2.44 NT$77.2

-26.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 NT$69.2

$2.74 NT$86.7

-20.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.95 NT$93.2

$3.89 NT$123

-24.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 NT$42.24

$2.98 NT$94.3

-55.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 NT$59.2

$2.17 NT$68.6

-13.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.37 NT$75.0

$1.93 NT$61.2

22.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 NT$39.79

$1.16 NT$36.52

8.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 NT$131

$4.42 NT$140

-6.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.02 NT$507

$14.01 NT$443

14.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 NT$53.8

$1.73 NT$54.8

-1.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 NT$83.2

$2.44 NT$77.1

7.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 NT$27.78

$0.86 NT$27.32

2.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.52 NT$902

$40.31 NT$1,274

-29.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.82 NT$89.0

$2.83 NT$89.4

-0.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 NT$37.55

$0.78 NT$24.70

52.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.27 NT$325

$6.04 NT$191

70.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 NT$33.23

$1.07 NT$33.89

-1.87%

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

$33.3K NT$1.1M

$34.5K NT$1.1M

-3.36%

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

$26.4K NT$834.0K

$25.8K NT$814.6K

2.38%

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

$95.6 NT$3,022

$76.1 NT$2,405

25.66%

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

$25.01 NT$791

$25.10 NT$793

-0.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.47 NT$679

$25.25 NT$798

-14.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.63 NT$1,126

$44.15 NT$1,396

-19.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.26 NT$324

$23.44 NT$741

-56.23%

Cinema Ticket

$10.63 NT$336

$9.97 NT$315

6.62%

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

$355 NT$11.2K

$426 NT$13.5K

-16.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.0K NT$665.4K

$11.2K NT$355.5K

87.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.0 NT$2,625

$85.9 NT$2,714

-3.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.55 NT$1,092

$34.95 NT$1,105

-1.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 NT$2,966

$89.7 NT$2,835

4.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 NT$4,116

$102 NT$3,224

27.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 NT$12.0K

$557 NT$17.6K

-31.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 NT$8,999

$360 NT$11.4K

-20.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 NT$32.5K

$1,208 NT$38.2K

-14.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 NT$22.8K

$786 NT$24.9K

-8.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,118 NT$225.0K

$8,423 NT$266.3K

-15.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,250 NT$166.0K

$6,187 NT$195.6K

-15.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,386 NT$43.8K

$2,462 NT$77.8K

-43.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.18

1.57

38.85%

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

Last update for Taichung: June 9, 2026

Last update for Hsinchu: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $381 in Taichung versus $557 in Hsinchu. 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 78% higher in Hsinchu, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Taichung versus $34.00 in Hsinchu. Groceries tell a different story – $395 in Taichung vs $336 in Hsinchu – so Hsinchu 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 Hsinchu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hsinchu costs about 1% more than Taichung, 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 $1,773 per month in Taichung and $1,797 in Hsinchu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 41% less in Taichung. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $355 per month in Taichung and $426 in Hsinchu. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Taichung, where all-in costs run around $1,182, than in Hsinchu at $1,198. In Taichung it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hsinchu it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Taichung – 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 Taichung. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hsinchu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.