Cost of Living Comparison Between Taichung and Messina Cost of Living Comparison Between Taichung and Messina

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,116 per month in Taichung vs $1,409 in Messina, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,868 per month in Taichung vs $2,462 in Messina, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,619 per month in Taichung vs $3,515 in Messina, rent included.

Taichung is about 21% cheaper than Messina, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Taichung sits 18% below the global median, while Messina is 3% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.69 NT$149

$15.85 €13.82

-70.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.50 NT$1,003

$69.8 €60.9

-54.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.71 NT$150

$12.91 €11.26

-63.52%

Cappuccino

$2.84 NT$90.4

$2.01 €1.75

41.29%

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

$0.98 NT$31.26

$2.36 €2.06

-58.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 NT$24.66

$1.24 €1.08

-37.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 NT$49.97

$4.54 €3.95

-65.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 NT$88.8

$3.46 €3.01

-19.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.31 NT$105

$1.35 €1.18

145.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 NT$54.9

$1.93 €1.68

-10.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 NT$84.2

$2.92 €2.54

-9.59%

Eggs

$2.63 NT$83.6

$2.94 €2.56

-10.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.72 NT$914

$15.07 €13.13

90.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 NT$245

$10.68 €9.31

-27.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.71 NT$532

$17.53 €15.28

-4.68%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 NT$135

$2.99 €2.61

41.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 NT$61.0

$1.77 €1.54

8.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 NT$59.3

$1.13 €0.99

64.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 NT$70.2

$3.57 €3.11

-38.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 NT$39.85

$0.67 €0.58

86.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 NT$62.6

$1.51 €1.31

30.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 NT$78.2

$1.47 €1.28

67.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 NT$29.15

$0.44 €0.39

109.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.75 NT$120

$7.13 €6.22

-47.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.82 NT$504

$5.75 €5.01

175.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 NT$52.3

$1.71 €1.49

-4.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 NT$81.5

$2.41 €2.10

6.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 NT$23.24

$1.72 €1.50

-57.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.76 NT$1,011

$43.17 €37.63

-26.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 NT$85.7

$5.61 €4.89

-52.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 NT$31.20

$1.14 €1.00

-14.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.64 NT$307

$39.43 €34.37

-75.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 NT$33.59

$2.03 €1.77

-47.78%

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

$33.7K NT$1.1M

$36.1K €31.5K

-6.78%

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

$23.2K NT$738.9K

$33.2K €29.0K

-30.15%

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

$108 NT$3,429

$180 €157

-40.17%

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

$14.98 NT$477

$10.22 €8.91

46.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.66 NT$689

$26.42 €23.03

-18.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.20 NT$1,025

$48.76 €42.50

-33.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.29 NT$423

$17.35 €15.12

-23.40%

Cinema Ticket

$9.69 NT$308

$9.48 €8.26

2.22%

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

$343 NT$10.9K

$350 €305

-2.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K NT$546.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.9 NT$2,193

$74.0 €64.5

-6.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.40 NT$1,159

$31.33 €27.31

16.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.3 NT$2,650

$89.2 €77.8

-6.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 NT$3,577

$131 €114

-14.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 NT$12.9K

$549 €478

-26.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 NT$8,918

$384 €334

-26.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 NT$37.9K

$1,245 €1,085

-4.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$763 NT$24.3K

$1,093 €953

-30.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,101 NT$226.0K

$2,132 €1,859

233.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,181 NT$164.9K

$1,688 €1,471

206.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,407 NT$44.8K

$1,746 €1,522

-19.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.27

3.8

-40.26%

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

Last update for Taichung: September 13, 2026

Last update for Messina: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $405 in Taichung versus $549 in Messina. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 24% higher in Messina, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Taichung versus $70.0 in Messina. Groceries tell a different story – $371 in Taichung vs $296 in Messina – so Messina 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 Messina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Messina costs about 26% more than Taichung, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,674 per month in Taichung and $2,113 in Messina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $343 per month in Taichung and $350 in Messina. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 25% cheaper in Messina – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Taichung, where all-in costs run around $1,116, than in Messina at $1,409. In Taichung it covers expenses comfortably, while in Messina it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Taichung – 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 Taichung. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Messina makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.