Cost of Living Comparison Between Taichung and Hua-lien Cost of Living Comparison Between Taichung and Hua-lien

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,207 in Taichung versus $1,105 in Hua-lien.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,001 in Taichung versus $1,867 in Hua-lien.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,795 in Taichung versus $2,629 in Hua-lien.

Living in Taichung is roughly 9% more expensive than in Hua-lien, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Taichung 9% lower, Hua-lien 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.14 NT$163

$4.02 NT$127

27.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.54 NT$966

$34.29 NT$1,085

-10.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 NT$176

$4.46 NT$141

24.44%

Cappuccino

$2.92 NT$92.4

$3.42 NT$108

-14.62%

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

$1.16 NT$36.68

$0.91 NT$28.74

27.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 NT$26.35

$0.66 NT$20.85

25.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 NT$67.0

$1.32 NT$41.73

60.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 NT$92.3

$1.95 NT$61.7

49.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.80 NT$120

$3.23 NT$102

17.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 NT$53.7

$1.78 NT$56.4

-4.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.82 NT$89.2

$4.37 NT$138

-35.47%

Eggs

$3.30 NT$105

$2.58 NT$81.6

27.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.79 NT$974

$13.84 NT$438

122.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 NT$264

$4.96 NT$157

68.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.08 NT$509

$16.07 NT$509

0.06%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 NT$145

$4.47 NT$141

2.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 NT$57.7

$2.44 NT$77.3

-25.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 NT$71.8

$4.28 NT$136

-46.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.97 NT$94.1

$3.90 NT$123

-23.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 NT$41.91

$4.46 NT$141

-70.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 NT$62.0

$4.05 NT$128

-51.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 NT$72.7

$2.58 NT$81.7

-10.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 NT$41.37

$1.34 NT$42.45

-2.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 NT$127

$5.18 NT$164

-22.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 NT$492

$14.28 NT$452

8.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 NT$54.3

$2.16 NT$68.5

-20.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 NT$80.7

$2.94 NT$92.9

-13.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 NT$28.09

$0.87 NT$27.59

2.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.24 NT$893

$38.42 NT$1,215

-26.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 NT$89.0

$3.41 NT$108

-17.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 NT$38.85

$0.78 NT$24.75

57.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.31 NT$326

$12.45 NT$394

-17.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 NT$32.95

$1.02 NT$32.38

1.96%

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

$33.7K NT$1.1M

$41.8K NT$1.3M

-19.46%

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

$26.3K NT$832.8K

$29.6K NT$935.8K

-11.01%

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

$94.9 NT$3,001

$76.6 NT$2,423

23.82%

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

$24.59 NT$778

$33.20 NT$1,050

-25.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.90 NT$693

$24.67 NT$781

-11.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.31 NT$1,117

$36.93 NT$1,168

-4.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.10 NT$319

$15.33 NT$485

-34.12%

Cinema Ticket

$10.62 NT$336

$8.87 NT$281

19.73%

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

$353 NT$11.2K

$789 NT$24.9K

-55.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.4K NT$646.4K

$15.8K NT$500.2K

29.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.3 NT$2,667

$27.31 NT$864

208.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.21 NT$1,082

$47.87 NT$1,514

-28.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.4 NT$2,985

$72.0 NT$2,279

31.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 NT$4,071

$126 NT$3,974

2.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$373 NT$11.8K

$432 NT$13.7K

-13.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 NT$9,070

$285 NT$9,020

0.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,021 NT$32.3K

$1,055 NT$33.4K

-3.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$736 NT$23.3K

$724 NT$22.9K

1.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,070 NT$223.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,361 NT$169.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,410 NT$44.6K

$2,858 NT$90.4K

-50.68%

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 14, 2026

Last update for Hua-lien: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $373 in Taichung and $432 in Hua-lien. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hua-lien pays 103% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $31.00 in Taichung vs $34.00 in Hua-lien. Groceries flip the comparison at $397 vs $359, with Hua-lien cheaper for home cooking.

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 Hua-lien: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hua-lien wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Taichung. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Hua-lien the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 103% lower in Hua-lien. 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: $373 in Taichung versus $432 in Hua-lien. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Taichung. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Hua-lien – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $31.00 in Taichung. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,105 in Hua-lien versus $1,207 in Taichung, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Hua-lien but tight or insufficient in Taichung. The gap between the two cities makes Hua-lien 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 Hua-lien 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 Hua-lien gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Taichung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.