Cost of Living Comparison Between Taichung and Kinmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Taichung and Kinmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,175 per month in Taichung vs $1,124 in Kinmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,977 per month in Taichung vs $1,864 in Kinmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,779 per month in Taichung vs $2,603 in Kinmen, rent included.

Taichung costs about 5% more than Kinmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Taichung and Kinmen are more affordable than the global median – Taichung 12% lower, Kinmen 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.17 NT$163

$5.23 NT$165

-1.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.14 NT$949

$30.74 NT$967

-1.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 NT$172

$5.46 NT$172

0.37%

Cappuccino

$3.03 NT$95.5

$2.91 NT$91.5

4.12%

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

$1.16 NT$36.61

$1.09 NT$34.45

6.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 NT$27.02

$0.77 NT$24.33

11.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 NT$68.9

$1.89 NT$59.4

15.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 NT$92.4

$2.64 NT$83.2

10.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.86 NT$122

$3.26 NT$103

18.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 NT$54.9

$1.90 NT$59.9

-8.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.82 NT$88.7

$2.79 NT$87.9

1.08%

Eggs

$3.27 NT$103

$2.84 NT$89.3

15.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.67 NT$997

$18.85 NT$593

68.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.26 NT$260

$8.00 NT$252

3.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.07 NT$506

$17.25 NT$543

-6.84%

Apples (1kg)

$4.64 NT$146

$4.58 NT$144

1.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 NT$55.5

$2.56 NT$80.7

-31.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 NT$71.0

$2.67 NT$84.2

-15.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.97 NT$93.6

$3.49 NT$110

-14.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 NT$40.12

$2.87 NT$90.3

-55.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 NT$62.1

$2.24 NT$70.4

-12.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.36 NT$74.3

$1.96 NT$61.7

20.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 NT$40.95

$1.25 NT$39.49

4.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 NT$125

$4.19 NT$132

-5.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.23 NT$511

$14.40 NT$453

12.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 NT$53.8

$1.66 NT$52.1

3.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 NT$83.7

$2.47 NT$77.8

7.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 NT$29.57

$0.89 NT$27.89

5.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.86 NT$908

$39.20 NT$1,234

-26.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 NT$92.1

$2.94 NT$92.5

-0.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 NT$38.97

$0.77 NT$24.35

61.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.25 NT$323

$10.28 NT$324

-0.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 NT$33.02

$1.06 NT$33.49

-0.94%

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

$34.5K NT$1.1M

$35.9K NT$1.1M

-3.68%

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

$26.0K NT$816.9K

$25.7K NT$808.1K

1.09%

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

$96.6 NT$3,042

$86.4 NT$2,719

11.89%

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

$24.51 NT$771

$24.55 NT$773

-0.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.07 NT$695

$22.48 NT$708

-1.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.44 NT$1,147

$36.74 NT$1,156

-0.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.09 NT$318

$15.18 NT$478

-33.53%

Cinema Ticket

$10.52 NT$331

$10.06 NT$317

4.57%

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

$355 NT$11.2K

$419 NT$13.2K

-15.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K NT$656.8K

$15.3K NT$482.6K

36.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.1 NT$2,646

$84.1 NT$2,647

-0.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.06 NT$1,072

$34.75 NT$1,094

-1.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.9 NT$3,049

$91.0 NT$2,864

6.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 NT$4,092

$103 NT$3,244

26.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$379 NT$11.9K

$440 NT$13.8K

-13.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 NT$9,184

$286 NT$8,994

2.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,056 NT$33.2K

$1,034 NT$32.6K

2.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$731 NT$23.0K

$740 NT$23.3K

-1.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,297 NT$229.7K

$7,661 NT$241.2K

-4.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,260 NT$165.6K

$5,295 NT$166.7K

-0.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,420 NT$44.7K

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 1, 2026

Last update for Kinmen: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $379 in Taichung versus $440 in Kinmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Taichung versus $31.00 in Kinmen. Groceries tell a different story – $402 in Taichung vs $367 in Kinmen – so Kinmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Kinmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Taichung is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,762 per month in Taichung and $1,686 in Kinmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kinmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $355 per month in Taichung and $419 in Kinmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Taichung, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kinmen, where all-in costs run around $1,124, than in Taichung at $1,175. In Kinmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Taichung it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kinmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kinmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Taichung makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.