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: $1,181 in Taichung versus $1,269 in Keelung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,953 in Taichung versus $2,047 in Keelung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,725 in Taichung versus $2,824 in Keelung.

Living in Taichung costs roughly 7% less than in Keelung, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Taichung 11% lower, Keelung 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.06 NT$163

$5.18 NT$167

-2.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.00 NT$1,001

$30.17 NT$974

2.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.35 NT$173

$5.33 NT$172

0.38%

Cappuccino

$2.89 NT$93.4

$2.97 NT$95.8

-2.69%

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

$1.11 NT$35.71

$1.11 NT$35.98

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 NT$26.09

$0.79 NT$25.64

2.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 NT$69.3

$2.18 NT$70.4

-1.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 NT$90.8

$2.94 NT$95.0

-4.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.71 NT$120

$3.45 NT$111

7.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 NT$57.2

$1.56 NT$50.4

13.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.76 NT$89.2

$1.19 NT$38.56

131.93%

Eggs

$3.15 NT$102

$2.38 NT$77.0

32.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.26 NT$1,009

$31.14 NT$1,006

0.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.16 NT$263

$5.93 NT$191

37.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.93 NT$514

$15.58 NT$503

2.25%

Apples (1kg)

$4.52 NT$146

$4.59 NT$148

-1.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 NT$58.7

$1.81 NT$58.4

0.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 NT$70.7

$2.22 NT$71.6

-1.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.06 NT$98.8

$3.07 NT$99.1

-0.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 NT$43.10

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 NT$61.0

$1.91 NT$61.5

-1.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 NT$75.9

$2.28 NT$73.5

3.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 NT$42.20

$1.28 NT$41.42

2.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 NT$134

$3.95 NT$128

5.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.62 NT$505

$9.05 NT$292

72.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 NT$55.9

$1.21 NT$39.13

42.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 NT$85.2

$2.66 NT$86.0

-0.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 NT$29.76

$0.53 NT$17.06

73.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.99 NT$936

$66.6 NT$2,150

-56.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 NT$92.2

$2.81 NT$90.9

1.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 NT$39.59

$1.19 NT$38.39

3.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.97 NT$322

$10.30 NT$333

-3.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 NT$33.83

$1.00 NT$32.37

5.00%

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

$33.6K NT$1.1M

-0.13%

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

$26.0K NT$839.2K

$25.4K NT$820.5K

2.28%

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

$95.5 NT$3,083

$43.58 NT$1,407

119.05%

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

$24.72 NT$798

$24.59 NT$794

0.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.38 NT$690

$11.73 NT$379

82.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.64 NT$1,151

$37.84 NT$1,222

-5.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.04 NT$324

$34.48 NT$1,113

-70.88%

Cinema Ticket

$10.50 NT$339

$8.33 NT$269

26.05%

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

$362 NT$11.7K

$354 NT$11.4K

2.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.2K NT$683.1K

$20.4K NT$658.5K

3.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.9 NT$2,741

$85.8 NT$2,770

-1.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.21 NT$1,105

$34.98 NT$1,130

-2.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.9 NT$3,031

$51.4 NT$1,661

82.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 NT$4,137

$33.24 NT$1,073

285.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$376 NT$12.2K

$607 NT$19.6K

-37.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 NT$9,275

$504 NT$16.3K

-42.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,054 NT$34.0K

$1,120 NT$36.2K

-5.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 NT$23.1K

$1,032 NT$33.3K

-30.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,933 NT$223.9K

$3,290 NT$106.2K

110.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,135 NT$165.8K

$2,312 NT$74.7K

122.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,400 NT$45.2K

$2,450 NT$79.1K

-42.87%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Keelung: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $376 in Taichung and $607 in Keelung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Keelung pays 75% 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 $396 vs $354 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 7% in total monthly costs ($1,181 vs $1,269 including rent). Taichung is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 75% 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: $376 in Taichung versus $607 in Keelung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Keelung pay roughly 12% 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 $1,181 in Taichung versus $1,269 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 7% less than in Keelung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.