Cost of Living Comparison Between Taichung and New Taipei City Cost of Living Comparison Between Taichung and New Taipei City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,203 in Taichung versus $1,384 in New Taipei City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,954 in Taichung versus $2,281 in New Taipei City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,704 in Taichung versus $3,179 in New Taipei City.

Living in Taichung costs roughly 13% less than in New Taipei City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Taichung is 10% below, New Taipei City is 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.99 NT$157

$5.16 NT$163

-3.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.95 NT$946

$34.11 NT$1,077

-12.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.46 NT$172

$5.67 NT$179

-3.70%

Cappuccino

$2.93 NT$92.5

$2.94 NT$92.7

-0.34%

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

$1.16 NT$36.54

$0.89 NT$28.00

30.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 NT$27.14

$0.78 NT$24.78

10.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 NT$68.2

$2.05 NT$64.6

5.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 NT$89.4

$2.74 NT$86.4

3.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.79 NT$120

$3.20 NT$101

18.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 NT$55.4

$1.89 NT$59.8

-7.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.77 NT$87.6

$3.01 NT$95.1

-7.97%

Eggs

$3.29 NT$104

$2.92 NT$92.2

12.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.49 NT$994

$20.31 NT$641

55.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.10 NT$256

$8.78 NT$277

-7.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.61 NT$493

$20.32 NT$641

-23.18%

Apples (1kg)

$4.72 NT$149

$4.67 NT$148

1.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 NT$57.5

$2.64 NT$83.3

-31.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 NT$72.0

$2.73 NT$86.1

-16.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 NT$96.9

$4.21 NT$133

-27.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 NT$42.48

$2.81 NT$88.6

-51.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 NT$59.2

$2.29 NT$72.3

-17.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 NT$74.2

$2.03 NT$64.1

15.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 NT$40.54

$1.30 NT$41.19

-1.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 NT$131

$4.04 NT$128

2.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.69 NT$495

$9.37 NT$296

67.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 NT$52.0

$1.65 NT$52.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 NT$82.7

$2.34 NT$73.7

11.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 NT$27.18

$0.65 NT$20.45

32.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.22 NT$922

$41.17 NT$1,300

-29.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 NT$93.5

$2.84 NT$89.8

4.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 NT$38.80

$0.74 NT$23.48

66.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.33 NT$326

$10.21 NT$322

1.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 NT$31.71

$1.07 NT$33.81

-6.54%

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

$34.4K NT$1.1M

$38.7K NT$1.2M

-11.13%

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

$26.4K NT$833.3K

$28.0K NT$885.3K

-5.87%

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

$97.3 NT$3,072

$97.4 NT$3,076

-0.14%

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

$24.15 NT$762

$24.77 NT$782

-2.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.53 NT$680

$24.23 NT$765

-11.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.96 NT$1,135

$39.12 NT$1,235

-8.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.14 NT$320

$16.27 NT$514

-37.68%

Cinema Ticket

$10.66 NT$337

$11.65 NT$368

-8.50%

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

$356 NT$11.2K

$633 NT$20.0K

-43.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.0K NT$663.1K

$18.7K NT$589.8K

12.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.7 NT$2,705

$78.3 NT$2,472

9.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.47 NT$1,088

$34.44 NT$1,087

0.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.9 NT$2,964

$95.0 NT$2,998

-1.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 NT$4,126

$123 NT$3,889

6.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$385 NT$12.2K

$655 NT$20.7K

-41.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 NT$8,871

$464 NT$14.6K

-39.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,025 NT$32.3K

$1,731 NT$54.6K

-40.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$714 NT$22.5K

$1,083 NT$34.2K

-34.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,104 NT$224.3K

$12.7K NT$399.6K

-43.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,345 NT$168.8K

$7,233 NT$228.4K

-26.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,415 NT$44.7K

$1,366 NT$43.1K

3.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.18

2.19

-0.46%

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

Last update for Taichung: April 26, 2026

Last update for New Taipei City: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $385 in Taichung and $655 in New Taipei City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taichung pays 4% 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 $34.00 in New Taipei City. Groceries flip the comparison at $398 vs $380, with New Taipei City cheaper for home cooking.

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 New Taipei City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taichung and New Taipei City differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($1,203 vs $1,384 including rent). Taichung is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Taichung pays 4% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $385 in Taichung versus $655 in New Taipei City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,203 per month in Taichung versus $1,384 in New Taipei City – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Taichung runs roughly 41% less than in New Taipei City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,203 in Taichung versus $1,384 in New Taipei City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Taichung but tight or insufficient in New Taipei City. The gap between the two cities makes Taichung 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 New Taipei City 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 Taichung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in New Taipei City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.