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: $1,116 in Taichung versus $1,239 in New Taipei City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,868 in Taichung versus $2,038 in New Taipei City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,619 in Taichung versus $2,837 in New Taipei City.

Living in Taichung costs roughly 10% less than in New Taipei City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Taichung 18% lower, New Taipei City 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.69 NT$149

$4.70 NT$150

-0.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.50 NT$1,003

$31.51 NT$1,003

-0.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.71 NT$150

$5.23 NT$166

-9.94%

Cappuccino

$2.84 NT$90.4

$2.24 NT$71.2

26.79%

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

$0.98 NT$31.26

$0.88 NT$28.04

11.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 NT$24.66

$0.56 NT$17.94

37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 NT$49.97

$1.67 NT$53.3

-5.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 NT$88.8

$2.45 NT$78.0

13.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.31 NT$105

$3.08 NT$98.1

7.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 NT$54.9

$1.82 NT$57.8

-5.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 NT$84.2

$2.20 NT$70.0

20.00%

Eggs

$2.63 NT$83.6

$2.19 NT$69.6

20.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.72 NT$914

$25.19 NT$802

14.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 NT$245

$10.60 NT$337

-27.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.71 NT$532

$18.94 NT$603

-11.77%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 NT$135

$4.13 NT$131

2.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 NT$61.0

$2.44 NT$77.7

-21.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 NT$59.3

$2.81 NT$89.6

-33.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 NT$70.2

$3.99 NT$127

-44.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 NT$39.85

$4.02 NT$128

-68.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 NT$62.6

$2.07 NT$66.0

-4.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 NT$78.2

$1.64 NT$52.1

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 NT$29.15

$1.04 NT$33.16

-11.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.75 NT$120

$4.46 NT$142

-15.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.82 NT$504

$8.89 NT$283

77.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 NT$52.3

$1.49 NT$47.28

10.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 NT$81.5

$2.01 NT$63.9

27.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 NT$23.24

$0.82 NT$26.19

-10.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.76 NT$1,011

$37.92 NT$1,207

-16.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 NT$85.7

$2.82 NT$89.8

-4.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 NT$31.20

$0.99 NT$31.61

-1.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.64 NT$307

$9.69 NT$309

-0.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 NT$33.59

$1.01 NT$32.00

4.95%

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

$33.7K NT$1.1M

$33.9K NT$1.1M

-0.73%

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

$23.2K NT$738.9K

$24.4K NT$775.7K

-4.74%

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

$108 NT$3,429

$112 NT$3,558

-3.62%

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

$14.98 NT$477

$16.69 NT$531

-10.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.66 NT$689

$22.96 NT$731

-5.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.20 NT$1,025

$39.29 NT$1,251

-18.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.29 NT$423

$7.78 NT$248

70.82%

Cinema Ticket

$9.69 NT$308

$12.64 NT$402

-23.34%

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

$343 NT$10.9K

$650 NT$20.7K

-47.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K NT$546.1K

$21.2K NT$676.1K

-19.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.9 NT$2,193

$35.16 NT$1,119

95.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.40 NT$1,159

$31.25 NT$995

16.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.3 NT$2,650

$93.8 NT$2,985

-11.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 NT$3,577

$99.4 NT$3,162

13.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 NT$12.9K

$646 NT$20.6K

-37.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 NT$8,918

$340 NT$10.8K

-17.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 NT$37.9K

$1,396 NT$44.4K

-14.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$763 NT$24.3K

$926 NT$29.5K

-17.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,101 NT$226.0K

$12.4K NT$394.3K

-42.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,181 NT$164.9K

$7,248 NT$230.7K

-28.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,407 NT$44.8K

$1,391 NT$44.3K

1.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.27

2.81

-19.22%

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

Last update for Taichung: September 13, 2026

Last update for New Taipei City: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $405 in Taichung and $646 in New Taipei City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taichung pays 1% 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 $32.00 in New Taipei City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $371 vs $383 per month, with Taichung 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 New Taipei City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taichung and New Taipei City differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($1,116 vs $1,239 including rent). Taichung is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1% higher in Taichung, 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: $405 in Taichung versus $646 in New Taipei City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,116 per month in Taichung versus $1,239 in New Taipei City – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Taichung runs roughly 19% less than in New Taipei City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,116 in Taichung versus $1,239 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 11% less than in New Taipei City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.