Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Taichung and Seoul

For one person, living is cheaper in Taichung: $1,143 a month against $1,822 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

56

Cost of Living Index in Taichung
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Taichung Living Index
87

Cost of Living Index in Seoul
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Seoul Living Index

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Taichung

🇹🇼 Taiwan

$1,143

/mo nomad

Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,822

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Taichung and in Seoul

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Taichung and in Seoul actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,143 per month in Taichung vs $1,822 in Seoul, rent included.

Taichung $1,143
Seoul $1,822

A couple spends around $1,887 per month in Taichung vs $2,847 in Seoul, rent included.

Taichung $1,887
Seoul $2,847

A family of three spends $2,631 per month in Taichung vs $3,872 in Seoul, rent included.

Taichung $2,631
Seoul $3,872

Taichung is about 37% cheaper than Seoul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Taichung sits 15% below the global median, while Seoul is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.68 NT$149

$9.10 ₩12.2K

-48.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.12 NT$1,025

$67.0 ₩89.8K

-52.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.85 NT$155

$7.42 ₩9,941

-34.64%

Cappuccino

$2.75 NT$87.6

$4.08 ₩5,470

-32.60%

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

$1.03 NT$32.80

$1.60 ₩2,141

-35.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 NT$23.56

$0.80 ₩1,078

-7.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 NT$49.69

$3.65 ₩4,886

-57.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 NT$88.7

$5.94 ₩7,956

-53.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.27 NT$104

$2.05 ₩2,742

59.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 NT$56.2

$3.08 ₩4,130

-42.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 NT$84.7

$4.21 ₩5,646

-36.82%

Eggs

$2.62 NT$83.7

$3.57 ₩4,784

-26.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.33 NT$936

$17.95 ₩24.1K

63.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.13 NT$259

$10.64 ₩14.3K

-23.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.14 NT$547

$26.44 ₩35.4K

-35.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.22 NT$135

$7.42 ₩9,946

-43.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 NT$61.3

$3.53 ₩4,732

-45.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 NT$95.3

$5.87 ₩7,866

-49.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 NT$68.6

$6.37 ₩8,534

-66.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 NT$38.28

$3.75 ₩5,028

-68.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 NT$62.9

$2.49 ₩3,337

-20.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 NT$76.7

$2.92 ₩3,911

-17.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 NT$28.80

$1.15 ₩1,542

-21.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.75 NT$120

$3.29 ₩4,408

13.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.53 NT$495

$18.49 ₩24.8K

-16.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 NT$52.3

$2.28 ₩3,057

-28.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 NT$78.8

$3.28 ₩4,398

-24.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 NT$23.05

$1.14 ₩1,526

-36.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.97 NT$1,020

$45.47 ₩60.9K

-29.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 NT$86.1

$3.48 ₩4,663

-22.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 NT$29.49

$0.60 ₩803

53.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.61 NT$307

$8.70 ₩11.7K

10.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 NT$32.76

$1.50 ₩2,004

-31.33%

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

$33.0K NT$1.1M

$29.1K ₩39.0M

13.45%

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

$22.7K NT$725.9K

$28.2K ₩37.8M

-19.31%

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

$127 NT$4,037

$209 ₩279.9K

-39.43%

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

$14.84 NT$474

$35.13 ₩47.1K

-57.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.00 NT$670

$21.18 ₩28.4K

-0.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.96 NT$1,052

$57.3 ₩76.8K

-42.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.63 NT$371

$15.89 ₩21.3K

-26.81%

Cinema Ticket

$10.02 NT$320

$11.33 ₩15.2K

-11.56%

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

$347 NT$11.1K

$1,902 ₩2.5M

-81.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K NT$537.2K

$22.5K ₩30.2M

-25.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.5 NT$2,314

$58.9 ₩78.9K

23.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.93 NT$1,147

$32.12 ₩43.0K

11.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 NT$2,738

$70.1 ₩94.0K

22.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 NT$3,727

$82.5 ₩110.5K

41.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$396 NT$12.6K

$885 ₩1.2M

-55.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 NT$8,722

$624 ₩835.5K

-56.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,217 NT$38.8K

$2,494 ₩3.3M

-51.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 NT$24.7K

$1,275 ₩1.7M

-39.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,642 NT$275.8K

$29.8K ₩40.0M

-71.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,368 NT$171.3K

$11.8K ₩15.9M

-54.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,432 NT$45.7K

$3,649 ₩4.9M

-60.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.27

4.08

-44.36%

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

Last update for Taichung: October 4, 2026

Last update for Seoul: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Taichung

$379 32.8%

Seoul

$479 26.7% 26.4% $100

Accommodation & Living

Taichung

$273 23.7%

Seoul

$624 34.7% 128% $350

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Taichung

$162 14.1%

Seoul

$265 14.8% 63.3% $103

Clothing & Footwear

Taichung

$140 12.1%

Seoul

$110 6.1% 21.7% $30

Eating Out

Taichung

$105 9.1%

Seoul

$184 10.2% 74.4% $78

Sport & Entertainment

Taichung

$53 4.6%

Seoul

$80 4.5% 50.9% $27

Getting Around

Taichung

$42 3.7%

Seoul

$57 3.1% 34% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $396 in Taichung versus $885 in Seoul. 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 155% higher in Seoul, 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 $67.0 in Seoul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $379 vs $479 – making Taichung the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇼 Taichung

🇰🇷 Seoul

🕒 Local time

11:28 11:28 AM

12:28 12:28 PM

1 h ahead of Taichung

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,767,239

9,509,458 Capital

💱 Currency

New Taiwan Dollar TWD NT$

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

100 TWD = 3.13 USD

100 TWD = 2.79 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.46 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.65 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KRW, USD, EUR to TWD – New Taiwan Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇼 New Taiwan Dollar (NT$)

New Taiwan Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 31.91 TWD (100 TWD = 3.13 USD). 1 EUR = 35.79 TWD (100 TWD = 2.79 EUR).

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1,340 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.46 USD). 1 EUR = 1,503 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.65 EUR).

USD to TWD in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Taichung Seoul 1,610 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Taichung
Seoul

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Seoul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul costs about 59% more than Taichung, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,714 per month in Taichung and $2,733 in Seoul. 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.

Public transport costs about 42% less in Taichung. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $347 per month in Taichung and $1,902 in Seoul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Taichung, where all-in costs run around $1,143, than in Seoul at $1,822. In Taichung it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul 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, Seoul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.