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: $1,203 in Taichung versus $1,294 in Keelung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,954 in Taichung versus $2,068 in Keelung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,704 in Taichung versus $2,843 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 10% lower, Keelung 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.99 NT$158

$5.01 NT$159

-0.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.95 NT$948

$29.90 NT$946

0.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.46 NT$173

$5.54 NT$175

-1.44%

Cappuccino

$2.93 NT$92.8

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

$1.16 NT$36.63

$1.15 NT$36.25

0.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 NT$27.21

$0.78 NT$24.80

10.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 NT$68.4

$2.16 NT$68.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 NT$89.6

$2.84 NT$90.0

-0.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.79 NT$120

$3.34 NT$106

13.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 NT$55.5

$1.51 NT$47.67

15.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.77 NT$87.8

$1.18 NT$37.40

134.75%

Eggs

$3.29 NT$104

$2.42 NT$76.6

35.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.49 NT$997

$31.90 NT$1,010

-1.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.10 NT$256

$6.04 NT$191

34.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.61 NT$494

$16.02 NT$507

-2.56%

Apples (1kg)

$4.72 NT$150

$4.58 NT$145

3.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 NT$57.7

$1.81 NT$57.3

0.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 NT$72.2

$2.29 NT$72.4

-0.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 NT$97.2

$3.07 NT$97.0

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 NT$42.59

$1.34 NT$42.32

0.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 NT$59.4

$1.86 NT$59.0

1.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 NT$74.3

$2.32 NT$73.4

1.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 NT$40.64

$1.25 NT$39.54

2.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 NT$131

$3.96 NT$125

4.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.69 NT$497

$9.74 NT$308

61.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 NT$52.1

$1.18 NT$37.23

39.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 NT$82.9

$2.63 NT$83.1

-0.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 NT$27.25

$0.52 NT$16.55

65.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.22 NT$925

$66.7 NT$2,110

-56.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 NT$93.7

$2.80 NT$88.7

5.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 NT$38.90

$1.18 NT$37.29

4.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.33 NT$327

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 NT$31.79

$1.01 NT$31.98

-0.99%

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

$34.4K NT$1.1M

$33.8K NT$1.1M

1.55%

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

$26.4K NT$835.4K

$26.3K NT$831.5K

0.48%

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

$97.3 NT$3,080

$43.89 NT$1,389

121.69%

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

$24.15 NT$764

$24.95 NT$790

-3.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.53 NT$681

$12.06 NT$382

78.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.96 NT$1,138

$37.38 NT$1,183

-3.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.14 NT$321

$33.82 NT$1,071

-70.02%

Cinema Ticket

$10.66 NT$337

$8.45 NT$268

26.15%

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

$356 NT$11.3K

$357 NT$11.3K

-0.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.0K NT$664.8K

$21.1K NT$667.9K

-0.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.7 NT$2,712

$84.0 NT$2,659

1.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.47 NT$1,091

$34.88 NT$1,104

-1.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.9 NT$2,972

$51.5 NT$1,629

82.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 NT$4,137

$33.41 NT$1,058

291.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$385 NT$12.2K

$617 NT$19.5K

-37.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 NT$8,893

$506 NT$16.0K

-44.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,025 NT$32.4K

$1,138 NT$36.0K

-9.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$714 NT$22.6K

$998 NT$31.6K

-28.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,104 NT$224.8K

$3,451 NT$109.2K

105.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,345 NT$169.2K

$2,362 NT$74.8K

126.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,415 NT$44.8K

$2,442 NT$77.3K

-42.06%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Keelung: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $385 in Taichung and $617 in Keelung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Keelung pays 73% 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: $30.00 in Taichung vs $30.00 in Keelung. Groceries flip the comparison at $398 vs $358, 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 8% in total monthly costs ($1,203 vs $1,294 including rent). Taichung is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Keelung earns 73% less. 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: $385 in Taichung versus $617 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 $30.00 versus $30.00 in Keelung. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,203 in Taichung versus $1,294 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 8% less than in Keelung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.