Cost of Living Comparison Between Taichung and Miaoli Cost of Living Comparison Between Taichung and Miaoli

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,123 in Taichung versus $788 in Miaoli.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,916 in Taichung versus $1,105 in Miaoli.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,710 in Taichung versus $1,423 in Miaoli.

Living in Taichung is roughly 43% more expensive than in Miaoli, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Taichung 19% lower, Miaoli 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.86 NT$154

$2.61 NT$82.5

86.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.16 NT$1,017

$24.16 NT$764

33.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.87 NT$154

$4.80 NT$152

1.46%

Cappuccino

$2.87 NT$90.9

$3.06 NT$96.9

-6.21%

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

$1.03 NT$32.70

$0.88 NT$27.84

17.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 NT$24.36

$0.58 NT$18.39

32.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 NT$49.86

$1.26 NT$39.72

25.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 NT$92.1

$1.32 NT$41.84

120.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.30 NT$104

$2.86 NT$90.3

15.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 NT$56.2

$1.22 NT$38.51

45.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.68 NT$84.6

$2.60 NT$82.4

3.08%

Eggs

$2.63 NT$83.1

$2.22 NT$70.2

18.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.27 NT$926

$9.55 NT$302

206.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.14 NT$257

$7.59 NT$240

7.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.73 NT$529

$21.61 NT$684

-22.58%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 NT$136

$3.88 NT$123

10.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 NT$62.5

$2.08 NT$65.7

-4.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 NT$59.1

$3.02 NT$95.6

-38.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 NT$72.6

$3.06 NT$96.8

-24.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 NT$39.29

$2.60 NT$82.2

-52.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 NT$62.0

$1.95 NT$61.8

0.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 NT$76.9

$2.41 NT$76.1

0.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 NT$27.57

$0.87 NT$27.58

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.78 NT$119

$3.98 NT$126

-5.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.60 NT$493

$10.94 NT$346

42.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 NT$52.0

$1.46 NT$46.15

13.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 NT$82.2

$2.19 NT$69.2

18.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 NT$21.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.34 NT$991

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 NT$84.3

$2.80 NT$88.7

-4.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 NT$30.56

$0.76 NT$24.03

27.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.29 NT$294

$7.19 NT$227

29.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 NT$32.24

$1.00 NT$31.66

2.00%

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

$33.8K NT$1.1M

$33.3K NT$1.1M

1.27%

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

$22.9K NT$725.5K

$24.4K NT$772.0K

-6.03%

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

$108 NT$3,404

$70.0 NT$2,215

53.68%

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

$15.03 NT$475

$18.28 NT$578

-17.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.12 NT$668

$21.95 NT$694

-3.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.21 NT$1,019

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.31 NT$421

Cinema Ticket

$10.04 NT$318

$10.90 NT$345

-7.89%

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

$345 NT$10.9K

$521 NT$16.5K

-33.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K NT$532.3K

$32.3K NT$1.0M

-47.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.0 NT$2,181

$12.91 NT$408

434.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.61 NT$1,158

$25.01 NT$791

46.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.7 NT$2,648

$62.5 NT$1,977

33.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 NT$3,468

$97.5 NT$3,082

12.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 NT$12.8K

$220 NT$6,968

84.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$284 NT$8,992

$161 NT$5,094

76.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,216 NT$38.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$750 NT$23.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,201 NT$227.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,336 NT$168.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,399 NT$44.2K

$2,543 NT$80.4K

-44.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.27

2.18

4.13%

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

Last update for Taichung: September 7, 2026

Last update for Miaoli: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $405 in Taichung and $220 in Miaoli. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Miaoli pays 82% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Taichung vs $24.00 in Miaoli for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $375 vs $316 per month, with Miaoli 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 Miaoli: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taichung and Miaoli differ by about 43% in total monthly costs ($1,123 vs $788 including rent). Miaoli is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 82% lower in Miaoli. 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: $405 in Taichung versus $220 in Miaoli. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Taichung. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,123 per month in Taichung versus $788 in Miaoli – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $788 in Miaoli versus $1,123 in Taichung, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Miaoli but tight or insufficient in Taichung. The gap between the two cities makes Miaoli 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 Miaoli 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 Miaoli gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Taichung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.