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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,181 per month in Taichung vs $1,167 in Hsinchu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,953 per month in Taichung vs $1,917 in Hsinchu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,725 per month in Taichung vs $2,668 in Hsinchu, rent included.

Taichung costs about 1% more than Hsinchu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.06 NT$163

$4.16 NT$134

21.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.00 NT$1,001

$33.92 NT$1,095

-8.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.35 NT$173

$5.37 NT$174

-0.37%

Cappuccino

$2.89 NT$93.4

$3.07 NT$99.0

-5.86%

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

$1.11 NT$35.71

$0.92 NT$29.71

20.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 NT$26.09

$0.69 NT$22.38

17.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 NT$69.3

$1.67 NT$53.9

28.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 NT$90.8

$2.32 NT$74.8

21.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.71 NT$120

$3.18 NT$103

16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 NT$57.2

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.76 NT$89.2

$4.34 NT$140

-36.41%

Eggs

$3.15 NT$102

$2.52 NT$81.4

25.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.26 NT$1,009

$14.13 NT$456

121.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.16 NT$263

$4.81 NT$155

69.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.93 NT$514

$15.96 NT$515

-0.19%

Apples (1kg)

$4.52 NT$146

$4.42 NT$143

2.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 NT$58.7

$2.44 NT$78.8

-25.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 NT$70.7

$2.83 NT$91.4

-22.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.06 NT$98.8

$3.81 NT$123

-19.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 NT$43.10

$2.93 NT$94.7

-54.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 NT$61.0

$2.22 NT$71.8

-14.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 NT$75.9

$1.86 NT$60.2

26.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 NT$42.20

$1.19 NT$38.38

10.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 NT$134

$4.53 NT$146

-8.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.62 NT$505

$14.10 NT$455

10.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 NT$55.9

$1.71 NT$55.4

1.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 NT$85.2

$2.53 NT$81.8

4.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 NT$29.76

$0.87 NT$28.09

5.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.99 NT$936

$40.57 NT$1,310

-28.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 NT$92.2

$2.91 NT$94.0

-2.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 NT$39.59

$0.72 NT$23.36

70.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.97 NT$322

$6.17 NT$199

61.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 NT$33.83

$1.03 NT$33.21

1.94%

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

$33.6K NT$1.1M

$35.2K NT$1.1M

-4.74%

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

$26.0K NT$839.2K

$24.9K NT$805.0K

4.26%

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

$95.5 NT$3,083

$74.1 NT$2,394

28.77%

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

$24.72 NT$798

$25.12 NT$811

-1.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.38 NT$690

$24.61 NT$795

-13.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.64 NT$1,151

$44.33 NT$1,431

-19.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.04 NT$324

$23.47 NT$758

-57.22%

Cinema Ticket

$10.50 NT$339

$10.16 NT$328

3.35%

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

$362 NT$11.7K

$423 NT$13.7K

-14.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.2K NT$683.1K

$11.1K NT$359.8K

89.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.9 NT$2,741

$86.8 NT$2,804

-2.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.21 NT$1,105

$35.85 NT$1,158

-4.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.9 NT$3,031

$90.0 NT$2,906

4.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 NT$4,137

$101 NT$3,258

27.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$376 NT$12.2K

$558 NT$18.0K

-32.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 NT$9,275

$361 NT$11.7K

-20.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,054 NT$34.0K

$1,199 NT$38.7K

-12.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 NT$23.1K

$789 NT$25.5K

-9.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,933 NT$223.9K

$8,213 NT$265.2K

-15.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,135 NT$165.8K

$6,061 NT$195.7K

-15.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,400 NT$45.2K

$2,474 NT$79.9K

-43.44%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Hsinchu: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $376 in Taichung versus $558 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 77% higher in Hsinchu, 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 $31.00 in Taichung versus $34.00 in Hsinchu. Groceries tell a different story – $396 in Taichung vs $335 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

Taichung costs about 1% more than Hsinchu, 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 $1,772 per month in Taichung and $1,750 in Hsinchu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 40% less in Hsinchu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $362 per month in Taichung and $423 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 Hsinchu, where all-in costs run around $1,167, than in Taichung at $1,181. In Hsinchu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Taichung it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Hsinchu – 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 Hsinchu. 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.