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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,116 per month in Taichung vs $1,163 in Hsinchu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,868 per month in Taichung vs $1,932 in Hsinchu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,619 per month in Taichung vs $2,701 in Hsinchu, rent included.

Taichung is about 4% cheaper than Hsinchu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Taichung and Hsinchu are more affordable than the global median – Taichung 18% lower, Hsinchu 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.69 NT$149

$4.14 NT$132

13.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.50 NT$1,001

$28.19 NT$896

11.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.71 NT$150

$4.75 NT$151

-0.84%

Cappuccino

$2.84 NT$90.2

$2.97 NT$94.2

-4.38%

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

$0.98 NT$31.19

$0.90 NT$28.60

8.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 NT$24.61

$0.69 NT$21.89

11.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 NT$49.87

$1.94 NT$61.6

-19.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 NT$88.6

$2.36 NT$74.8

18.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.31 NT$105

$2.84 NT$90.2

16.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 NT$54.7

$1.75 NT$55.5

-1.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 NT$84.0

$2.98 NT$94.8

-11.41%

Eggs

$2.63 NT$83.4

$2.85 NT$90.4

-7.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.72 NT$912

$36.84 NT$1,170

-22.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 NT$245

$7.00 NT$222

10.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.71 NT$531

$21.33 NT$678

-21.66%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 NT$135

$2.73 NT$86.7

55.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 NT$60.9

$2.56 NT$81.2

-25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 NT$59.1

$3.30 NT$105

-43.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 NT$70.1

$3.06 NT$97.1

-27.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 NT$39.76

$2.31 NT$73.5

-45.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 NT$62.5

$2.34 NT$74.2

-15.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 NT$78.0

$2.01 NT$64.0

22.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 NT$29.09

$1.36 NT$43.08

-32.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.75 NT$119

$3.93 NT$125

-4.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.82 NT$503

$12.56 NT$399

25.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 NT$52.2

$1.93 NT$61.4

-15.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 NT$81.3

$2.44 NT$77.4

4.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 NT$23.19

$0.62 NT$19.66

17.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.76 NT$1,009

$39.60 NT$1,258

-19.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 NT$85.5

$3.08 NT$97.7

-12.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 NT$31.13

$0.33 NT$10.56

196.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.64 NT$306

$10.07 NT$320

-4.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 NT$33.52

$1.03 NT$32.77

2.91%

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

$33.7K NT$1.1M

$33.4K NT$1.1M

0.82%

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

$23.2K NT$737.3K

$26.7K NT$849.3K

-13.18%

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

$108 NT$3,421

$101 NT$3,204

6.79%

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

$14.98 NT$476

$19.53 NT$620

-23.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.66 NT$688

$21.61 NT$687

0.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.20 NT$1,023

$52.8 NT$1,677

-39.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.29 NT$422

Cinema Ticket

$9.69 NT$308

$9.96 NT$316

-2.71%

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

$343 NT$10.9K

$744 NT$23.6K

-53.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K NT$544.9K

$16.8K NT$534.4K

1.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.9 NT$2,188

$57.1 NT$1,814

20.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.40 NT$1,156

$35.83 NT$1,138

1.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.3 NT$2,644

$78.3 NT$2,486

6.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 NT$3,569

$106 NT$3,368

5.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 NT$12.9K

$441 NT$14.0K

-8.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 NT$8,899

$261 NT$8,293

7.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 NT$37.8K

$1,133 NT$36.0K

5.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$763 NT$24.2K

$751 NT$23.9K

1.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,101 NT$225.5K

$8,143 NT$258.7K

-12.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,181 NT$164.6K

$6,177 NT$196.2K

-16.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,407 NT$44.7K

$2,539 NT$80.6K

-44.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.27

2.13

6.57%

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

Last update for Taichung: September 13, 2026

Last update for Hsinchu: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $405 in Taichung versus $441 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 80% 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 $32.00 in Taichung versus $28.00 in Hsinchu. Groceries tell a different story – $371 in Taichung vs $412 in Hsinchu – 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 Hsinchu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hsinchu costs about 4% 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 $1,674 per month in Taichung and $1,744 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 25% less in Taichung. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $343 per month in Taichung and $744 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 $1,116, than in Hsinchu at $1,163. 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.