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: $1,207 in Taichung versus $1,268 in Keelung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,001 in Taichung versus $2,035 in Keelung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,795 in Taichung versus $2,802 in Keelung.

Living in Taichung costs roughly 5% less than in Keelung, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Taichung 9% lower, Keelung 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.14 NT$163

$4.94 NT$156

4.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.54 NT$966

$30.19 NT$955

1.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 NT$176

$5.27 NT$167

5.31%

Cappuccino

$2.92 NT$92.4

$2.96 NT$93.7

-1.35%

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

$1.16 NT$36.68

$1.10 NT$34.88

5.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 NT$26.35

$0.84 NT$26.44

-1.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 NT$67.0

$2.09 NT$66.2

1.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 NT$92.3

$2.95 NT$93.4

-1.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.80 NT$120

$3.48 NT$110

9.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 NT$53.7

$1.53 NT$48.50

11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.82 NT$89.2

$1.20 NT$38.10

135.00%

Eggs

$3.30 NT$105

$2.50 NT$79.2

32.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.79 NT$974

$31.72 NT$1,004

-2.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 NT$264

$6.26 NT$198

33.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.08 NT$509

$15.83 NT$501

1.58%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 NT$145

$4.49 NT$142

1.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 NT$57.7

$1.80 NT$56.9

1.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 NT$71.8

$2.20 NT$69.6

3.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.97 NT$94.1

$2.99 NT$94.7

-0.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 NT$41.91

$1.27 NT$40.30

3.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 NT$62.0

$1.95 NT$61.5

0.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 NT$72.7

$2.34 NT$74.1

-1.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 NT$41.37

$1.29 NT$40.69

1.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 NT$127

$4.12 NT$130

-2.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 NT$492

$9.27 NT$293

67.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 NT$54.3

$1.20 NT$38.05

43.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 NT$80.7

$2.64 NT$83.5

-3.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 NT$28.09

$0.52 NT$16.51

71.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.24 NT$893

$67.0 NT$2,119

-57.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 NT$89.0

$2.90 NT$91.7

-3.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 NT$38.85

$1.18 NT$37.47

4.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.31 NT$326

$10.21 NT$323

0.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 NT$32.95

$1.01 NT$32.05

2.97%

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)

$26.3K NT$832.8K

$25.9K NT$818.8K

1.71%

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

$94.9 NT$3,001

$43.43 NT$1,374

118.42%

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

$24.59 NT$778

$24.45 NT$773

0.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.90 NT$693

$11.91 NT$377

83.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.31 NT$1,117

$37.42 NT$1,184

-5.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.10 NT$319

$33.45 NT$1,058

-69.81%

Cinema Ticket

$10.62 NT$336

$8.42 NT$266

26.13%

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

$353 NT$11.2K

$359 NT$11.3K

-1.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.4K NT$646.4K

$20.8K NT$656.5K

-1.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.3 NT$2,667

$83.9 NT$2,655

0.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.21 NT$1,082

$34.43 NT$1,089

-0.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.4 NT$2,985

$51.4 NT$1,625

83.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 NT$4,071

$34.16 NT$1,081

276.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$373 NT$11.8K

$611 NT$19.3K

-38.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 NT$9,070

$504 NT$15.9K

-43.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,021 NT$32.3K

$1,117 NT$35.3K

-8.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$736 NT$23.3K

$1,011 NT$32.0K

-27.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,070 NT$223.6K

$3,456 NT$109.3K

104.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,361 NT$169.6K

$2,334 NT$73.8K

129.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,410 NT$44.6K

$2,456 NT$77.7K

-42.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.18

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

Last update for Taichung: June 14, 2026

Last update for Keelung: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $373 in Taichung and $611 in Keelung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Keelung pays 74% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $31.00 in Taichung vs $30.00 in Keelung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $397 vs $358 per month, with Keelung cheaper across the board.

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 5% in total monthly costs ($1,207 vs $1,268 including rent). Taichung is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 74% 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: $373 in Taichung versus $611 in Keelung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Keelung pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Taichung – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $30.00 in Keelung. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,207 in Taichung versus $1,268 in Keelung, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Taichung but tight or insufficient in Keelung. 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 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 Taichung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Keelung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.