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: $1,180 in Taichung versus $888 in Miaoli.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,966 in Taichung versus $1,619 in Miaoli.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,752 in Taichung versus $2,351 in Miaoli.

Living in Taichung is roughly 33% more expensive than in Miaoli, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Taichung 12% lower, Miaoli 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.99 NT$161

$3.29 NT$106

51.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.18 NT$975

$24.96 NT$807

20.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 NT$172

$4.98 NT$161

6.63%

Cappuccino

$2.91 NT$94.1

$2.79 NT$90.1

4.30%

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

$1.15 NT$37.25

$1.17 NT$37.72

-1.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 NT$27.00

$0.75 NT$24.14

12.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.08 NT$67.2

$1.64 NT$53.0

26.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 NT$92.5

$2.59 NT$83.8

10.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.91 NT$127

$2.93 NT$94.8

33.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 NT$56.8

$1.39 NT$44.93

26.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.78 NT$89.7

$2.40 NT$77.7

15.83%

Eggs

$3.14 NT$102

$2.21 NT$71.3

42.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.84 NT$1,029

$9.19 NT$297

246.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.23 NT$266

$8.07 NT$261

1.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.91 NT$514

$20.70 NT$669

-23.14%

Apples (1kg)

$4.68 NT$151

$3.29 NT$106

42.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 NT$55.9

$1.04 NT$33.56

66.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 NT$72.0

$2.72 NT$87.9

-18.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 NT$99.1

$3.00 NT$97.1

2.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 NT$41.73

$2.34 NT$75.7

-44.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 NT$61.5

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.36 NT$76.4

$2.97 NT$96.1

-20.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 NT$40.17

$0.91 NT$29.51

36.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 NT$129

$6.62 NT$214

-39.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.50 NT$501

$11.02 NT$356

40.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 NT$53.5

$1.75 NT$56.6

-5.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 NT$86.2

$2.34 NT$75.7

14.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 NT$28.24

$0.87 NT$28.21

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.55 NT$923

$38.24 NT$1,236

-25.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 NT$95.0

$3.10 NT$100

-5.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 NT$38.32

$0.79 NT$25.52

50.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.22 NT$330

$8.02 NT$259

27.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 NT$34.19

$1.06 NT$34.13

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

$33.7K NT$1.1M

$36.9K NT$1.2M

-8.87%

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

$26.4K NT$853.2K

$26.8K NT$866.6K

-1.54%

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

$95.7 NT$3,091

$64.7 NT$2,092

47.80%

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

$24.69 NT$798

$28.54 NT$922

-13.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.22 NT$686

$19.44 NT$628

9.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.41 NT$1,144

$37.32 NT$1,206

-5.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.35 NT$334

$15.02 NT$485

-31.09%

Cinema Ticket

$10.85 NT$351

$10.27 NT$332

5.65%

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

$357 NT$11.5K

$584 NT$18.9K

-38.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K NT$671.2K

$30.1K NT$972.9K

-31.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.9 NT$2,777

$31.87 NT$1,030

169.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.53 NT$1,116

$24.09 NT$778

43.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.3 NT$3,079

$66.7 NT$2,155

42.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 NT$4,227

$101 NT$3,251

30.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$377 NT$12.2K

$335 NT$10.8K

12.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 NT$9,088

$173 NT$5,578

62.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,044 NT$33.7K

$1,021 NT$33.0K

2.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$727 NT$23.5K

$740 NT$23.9K

-1.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,208 NT$232.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,156 NT$166.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,392 NT$45.0K

$2,442 NT$78.9K

-42.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.18

9.00%

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

Last update for Taichung: July 12, 2026

Last update for Miaoli: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $377 in Taichung and $335 in Miaoli. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Miaoli pays 75% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $30.00 in Taichung vs $25.00 in Miaoli for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $400 vs $309 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 33% in total monthly costs ($1,180 vs $888 including rent). Miaoli is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 75% 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: $377 in Taichung versus $335 in Miaoli. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Taichung. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Miaoli – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $30.00 in Taichung. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $888 in Miaoli versus $1,180 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 33% less than in Taichung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.