Cost of Living Comparison Between Taichung and Keelung Cost of Living Comparison Between Taichung and Keelung

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,116 in Taichung versus $967 in Keelung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,868 in Taichung versus $1,708 in Keelung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,619 in Taichung versus $2,450 in Keelung.

Living in Taichung is roughly 15% more expensive than in Keelung, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Taichung 18% lower, Keelung 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.69 NT$149

$4.88 NT$155

-3.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.50 NT$1,003

$31.81 NT$1,013

-0.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.71 NT$150

$4.79 NT$153

-1.67%

Cappuccino

$2.84 NT$90.4

$2.84 NT$90.6

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

$0.98 NT$31.26

$1.00 NT$31.74

-2.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 NT$24.66

$0.73 NT$23.24

5.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 NT$49.97

$1.55 NT$49.49

1.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 NT$88.8

$2.84 NT$90.5

-1.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.31 NT$105

$3.12 NT$99.3

6.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 NT$54.9

$1.39 NT$44.29

23.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 NT$84.2

$1.18 NT$37.68

123.73%

Eggs

$2.63 NT$83.6

$2.25 NT$71.6

16.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.72 NT$914

$29.54 NT$940

-2.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 NT$245

$5.64 NT$180

36.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.71 NT$532

$17.02 NT$542

-1.82%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 NT$135

$4.40 NT$140

-3.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 NT$61.0

$1.97 NT$62.6

-2.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 NT$59.3

$1.77 NT$56.3

5.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 NT$70.2

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 NT$39.85

$1.20 NT$38.12

4.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 NT$62.6

$1.90 NT$60.5

3.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 NT$78.2

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 NT$29.15

$0.90 NT$28.71

2.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.75 NT$120

$3.81 NT$121

-1.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.82 NT$504

$9.74 NT$310

62.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 NT$52.3

$1.09 NT$34.57

50.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 NT$81.5

$2.47 NT$78.6

3.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 NT$23.24

$0.61 NT$19.45

19.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.76 NT$1,011

$63.0 NT$2,004

-49.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 NT$85.7

$2.75 NT$87.4

-2.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 NT$31.20

$0.99 NT$31.45

-1.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.64 NT$307

$9.35 NT$298

3.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 NT$33.59

$1.04 NT$33.12

1.92%

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

$33.7K NT$1.1M

$34.3K NT$1.1M

-1.79%

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

$23.2K NT$738.9K

$23.4K NT$743.6K

-0.63%

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

$108 NT$3,429

$41.86 NT$1,332

157.33%

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

$14.98 NT$477

$15.24 NT$485

-1.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.66 NT$689

$11.29 NT$359

91.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.20 NT$1,025

$35.55 NT$1,132

-9.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.29 NT$423

$31.90 NT$1,015

-58.34%

Cinema Ticket

$9.69 NT$308

$7.76 NT$247

24.87%

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

$343 NT$10.9K

$348 NT$11.1K

-1.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K NT$546.1K

$16.9K NT$539.4K

1.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.9 NT$2,193

$69.6 NT$2,214

-0.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.40 NT$1,159

$36.18 NT$1,152

0.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.3 NT$2,650

$48.34 NT$1,539

72.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 NT$3,577

$31.31 NT$997

258.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 NT$12.9K

-0.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 NT$8,918

$251 NT$8,001

11.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 NT$37.9K

$1,009 NT$32.1K

17.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$763 NT$24.3K

$732 NT$23.3K

4.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,101 NT$226.0K

$3,420 NT$108.9K

107.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,181 NT$164.9K

$2,351 NT$74.8K

120.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,407 NT$44.8K

$2,491 NT$79.3K

-43.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.27

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

Last update for Taichung: September 13, 2026

Last update for Keelung: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $405 in Taichung and $405 in Keelung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Keelung pays 77% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Taichung vs $32.00 in Keelung. Groceries flip the comparison at $371 vs $337, with Keelung 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 Keelung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taichung and Keelung differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($1,116 vs $967 including rent). Keelung is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 77% lower in Keelung. 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: $405 in Taichung versus $405 in Keelung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Taichung. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Keelung – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $32.00 in Taichung. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $967 in Keelung versus $1,116 in Taichung, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Keelung but tight or insufficient in Taichung. The gap between the two cities makes Keelung 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 Keelung 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 Keelung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Taichung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.