Cost of Living Comparison Between Taichung and Kaohsiung Cost of Living Comparison Between Taichung and Kaohsiung

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,180 in Taichung versus $1,186 in Kaohsiung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,966 in Taichung versus $1,952 in Kaohsiung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,752 in Taichung versus $2,719 in Kaohsiung.

Monthly costs are close between Taichung and Kaohsiung; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Taichung 12% lower, Kaohsiung 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.99 NT$161

$4.12 NT$133

21.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.18 NT$975

$33.84 NT$1,093

-10.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 NT$172

$5.39 NT$174

-1.48%

Cappuccino

$2.91 NT$94.1

$2.96 NT$95.8

-1.69%

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

$1.15 NT$37.25

$0.98 NT$31.80

17.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 NT$27.00

$0.76 NT$24.57

10.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.08 NT$67.2

$1.74 NT$56.1

19.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 NT$92.5

$2.70 NT$87.2

5.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.91 NT$127

$3.55 NT$115

10.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 NT$56.8

$1.97 NT$63.8

-10.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.78 NT$89.7

$2.63 NT$85.0

5.70%

Eggs

$3.14 NT$102

$3.21 NT$104

-2.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.84 NT$1,029

$15.90 NT$514

100.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.23 NT$266

$9.50 NT$307

-13.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.91 NT$514

$17.68 NT$571

-10.01%

Apples (1kg)

$4.68 NT$151

$6.13 NT$198

-23.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 NT$55.9

$2.55 NT$82.6

-32.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 NT$72.0

$2.82 NT$91.0

-20.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 NT$99.1

$4.03 NT$130

-23.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 NT$41.73

$2.96 NT$95.6

-56.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 NT$61.5

$2.25 NT$72.7

-15.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.36 NT$76.4

$1.89 NT$61.0

24.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 NT$40.17

$1.15 NT$37.18

7.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 NT$129

$4.31 NT$139

-7.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.50 NT$501

$15.26 NT$493

1.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 NT$53.5

$1.71 NT$55.4

-3.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 NT$86.2

$2.56 NT$82.8

4.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 NT$28.24

$0.88 NT$28.29

-1.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.55 NT$923

$27.22 NT$880

4.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 NT$95.0

$2.86 NT$92.4

2.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 NT$38.32

$0.77 NT$24.96

54.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.22 NT$330

$6.28 NT$203

62.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 NT$34.19

$1.03 NT$33.20

2.91%

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

$33.7K NT$1.1M

$34.1K NT$1.1M

-1.31%

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

$26.4K NT$853.2K

$24.9K NT$805.6K

5.91%

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

$95.7 NT$3,091

$104 NT$3,372

-8.32%

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

$24.69 NT$798

$24.88 NT$804

-0.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.22 NT$686

$25.03 NT$809

-15.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.41 NT$1,144

$39.26 NT$1,269

-9.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.35 NT$334

$11.20 NT$362

-7.59%

Cinema Ticket

$10.85 NT$351

$10.35 NT$334

4.83%

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

$357 NT$11.5K

$422 NT$13.6K

-15.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K NT$671.2K

$11.2K NT$361.7K

85.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.9 NT$2,777

$95.4 NT$3,082

-9.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.53 NT$1,116

$35.24 NT$1,139

-2.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.3 NT$3,079

$88.6 NT$2,863

7.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 NT$4,227

$103 NT$3,323

27.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$377 NT$12.2K

$437 NT$14.1K

-13.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 NT$9,088

$274 NT$8,865

2.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,044 NT$33.7K

$933 NT$30.1K

11.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$727 NT$23.5K

$704 NT$22.7K

3.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,208 NT$232.9K

$4,554 NT$147.2K

58.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,156 NT$166.6K

$3,076 NT$99.4K

67.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,392 NT$45.0K

$1,502 NT$48.5K

-7.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.18

2.3

-5.22%

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

Last update for Taichung: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kaohsiung: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $377 in Taichung and $437 in Kaohsiung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kaohsiung pays 8% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $30.00 in Taichung vs $34.00 in Kaohsiung. Groceries flip the comparison at $400 vs $383, with Kaohsiung 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 Kaohsiung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, salaries run 8% lower in Kaohsiung. 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: $377 in Taichung versus $437 in Kaohsiung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $357 in Taichung versus $422 in Kaohsiung. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Taichung – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $34.00 in Kaohsiung. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,180 in Taichung versus $1,186 in Kaohsiung, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Taichung but tight or insufficient in Kaohsiung. The gap between the two cities makes Taichung 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 Kaohsiung are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Taichung wins on affordability, Kaohsiung on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.