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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,148 per month in Taichung vs $1,080 in Kinmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,904 per month in Taichung vs $1,852 in Kinmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,659 per month in Taichung vs $2,623 in Kinmen, rent included.

Taichung costs about 6% more than Kinmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Taichung and Kinmen are more affordable than the global median – Taichung 16% lower, Kinmen 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.83 NT$153

$4.57 NT$145

5.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.11 NT$1,019

$30.93 NT$981

3.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 NT$152

$4.68 NT$149

2.14%

Cappuccino

$2.74 NT$87.1

$3.01 NT$95.6

-8.97%

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

$0.99 NT$31.36

$0.95 NT$30.15

4.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 NT$24.16

$0.68 NT$21.57

11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.60 NT$50.7

$1.68 NT$53.3

-4.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 NT$90.6

$2.57 NT$81.5

10.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.17 NT$101

$3.07 NT$97.5

3.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 NT$56.0

$1.87 NT$59.5

-5.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.67 NT$84.6

$2.95 NT$93.6

-9.49%

Eggs

$2.50 NT$79.4

$2.69 NT$85.5

-7.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.55 NT$906

$19.21 NT$609

48.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.72 NT$245

$7.89 NT$250

-2.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.58 NT$526

$20.71 NT$657

-19.94%

Apples (1kg)

$4.19 NT$133

$4.18 NT$133

0.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 NT$62.3

$2.49 NT$79.1

-21.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 NT$58.8

$3.00 NT$95.1

-38.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 NT$71.0

$3.14 NT$99.6

-28.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 NT$39.48

$2.78 NT$88.2

-55.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 NT$60.9

$2.13 NT$67.6

-9.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 NT$76.4

$2.33 NT$74.0

3.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 NT$28.40

$1.03 NT$32.73

-12.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.85 NT$122

$3.84 NT$122

0.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.07 NT$510

$12.49 NT$396

28.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 NT$51.4

$1.53 NT$48.59

5.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 NT$78.7

$2.18 NT$69.1

13.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 NT$23.43

$0.66 NT$20.92

12.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.80 NT$1,009

$36.67 NT$1,164

-13.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 NT$83.1

$2.75 NT$87.1

-4.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 NT$29.63

$0.77 NT$24.52

20.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.67 NT$307

$9.40 NT$298

2.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 NT$33.47

$1.00 NT$31.88

5.00%

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

$33.3K NT$1.1M

$33.0K NT$1.0M

1.11%

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

$23.3K NT$739.5K

$24.4K NT$773.8K

-4.43%

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

$110 NT$3,480

$87.7 NT$2,781

25.15%

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

$15.30 NT$485

$17.90 NT$568

-14.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.93 NT$664

$22.12 NT$702

-5.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.98 NT$1,046

$36.75 NT$1,166

-10.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.13 NT$417

Cinema Ticket

$10.01 NT$318

$10.19 NT$323

-1.77%

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

$336 NT$10.7K

$517 NT$16.4K

-34.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K NT$534.0K

$16.4K NT$520.2K

2.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 NT$2,155

$58.6 NT$1,860

15.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.17 NT$1,147

$33.79 NT$1,072

7.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 NT$2,715

$83.3 NT$2,643

2.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 NT$3,465

$100 NT$3,186

8.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$401 NT$12.7K

$403 NT$12.8K

-0.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$283 NT$8,979

$253 NT$8,013

12.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,237 NT$39.2K

$967 NT$30.7K

27.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$747 NT$23.7K

$725 NT$23.0K

3.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,108 NT$225.5K

$7,334 NT$232.7K

-3.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,222 NT$165.7K

$4,965 NT$157.5K

5.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,393 NT$44.2K

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: August 30, 2026

Last update for Kinmen: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $401 in Taichung versus $403 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 $32.00 in Taichung versus $31.00 in Kinmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $369 vs $366 – making Kinmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 6%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,723 per month in Taichung and $1,620 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 $336 per month in Taichung and $517 in Kinmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% 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 $1,080, than in Taichung at $1,148. 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.