Cost of Living Comparison Between Taichung and Tainan Cost of Living Comparison Between Taichung and Tainan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,175 in Taichung versus $1,074 in Tainan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,977 in Taichung versus $1,873 in Tainan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,779 in Taichung versus $2,672 in Tainan.

Living in Taichung is roughly 9% more expensive than Tainan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Taichung 12% lower, Tainan 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.17 NT$163

$6.12 NT$193

-15.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.14 NT$950

$26.69 NT$841

12.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 NT$173

$5.11 NT$161

7.24%

Cappuccino

$3.03 NT$95.6

$3.50 NT$110

-13.43%

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

$1.16 NT$36.65

$1.12 NT$35.27

3.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 NT$27.04

$0.79 NT$24.77

8.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 NT$68.9

$3.30 NT$104

-33.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 NT$92.5

$3.35 NT$105

-12.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.86 NT$122

$3.15 NT$99.3

22.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 NT$54.9

$1.92 NT$60.4

-9.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.82 NT$88.8

$3.02 NT$95.0

-6.62%

Eggs

$3.27 NT$103

$2.85 NT$89.7

14.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.67 NT$998

$19.81 NT$624

59.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.26 NT$260

$9.98 NT$315

-17.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.07 NT$506

$20.31 NT$640

-20.88%

Apples (1kg)

$4.64 NT$146

$4.33 NT$137

7.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 NT$55.6

$2.82 NT$88.8

-37.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 NT$71.1

$2.87 NT$90.3

-21.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.97 NT$93.7

$4.27 NT$135

-30.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 NT$40.16

$2.87 NT$90.4

-55.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 NT$62.1

$2.21 NT$69.5

-10.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.36 NT$74.4

$1.68 NT$52.8

40.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 NT$40.98

$1.06 NT$33.30

22.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 NT$125

$4.16 NT$131

-4.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.23 NT$511

$13.93 NT$439

16.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 NT$53.8

$1.74 NT$54.8

-1.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 NT$83.8

$2.40 NT$75.7

10.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 NT$29.59

$0.62 NT$19.56

51.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.86 NT$909

$21.71 NT$684

32.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 NT$92.2

$2.83 NT$89.0

3.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 NT$39.01

$0.78 NT$24.63

58.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.25 NT$323

$10.36 NT$326

-1.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 NT$33.05

$1.02 NT$32.08

2.94%

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

$34.5K NT$1.1M

$37.7K NT$1.2M

-8.38%

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

$26.0K NT$817.6K

$26.5K NT$836.1K

-2.21%

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

$96.6 NT$3,045

$86.7 NT$2,732

11.46%

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

$24.51 NT$772

$18.57 NT$585

31.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.07 NT$695

$22.99 NT$724

-4.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.44 NT$1,148

$39.82 NT$1,254

-8.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.09 NT$318

$15.42 NT$486

-34.57%

Cinema Ticket

$10.52 NT$332

$11.93 NT$376

-11.82%

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

$355 NT$11.2K

$269 NT$8,479

32.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K NT$657.4K

$6,829 NT$215.1K

205.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.1 NT$2,648

$59.5 NT$1,874

41.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.06 NT$1,073

$30.34 NT$956

12.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.9 NT$3,052

$92.2 NT$2,905

5.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 NT$4,096

$122 NT$3,848

6.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$379 NT$11.9K

$328 NT$10.3K

15.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 NT$9,192

$195 NT$6,157

49.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,056 NT$33.3K

$684 NT$21.5K

54.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$731 NT$23.0K

$712 NT$22.4K

2.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,297 NT$229.9K

$3,183 NT$100.3K

129.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,260 NT$165.7K

$3,153 NT$99.3K

66.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,420 NT$44.7K

$1,368 NT$43.1K

3.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.18

1.83

19.13%

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

Last update for Taichung: June 1, 2026

Last update for Tainan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $379 in Taichung and $328 in Tainan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taichung pays 4% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $30.00 in Taichung vs $27.00 in Tainan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $402 vs $390 per month, with Tainan 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 Tainan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tainan wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Taichung. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tainan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

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: $379 in Taichung versus $328 in Tainan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Tainan – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $30.00 in Taichung. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,175 per month in Taichung versus $1,074 in Tainan – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,074 in Tainan versus $1,175 in Taichung, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tainan but tight or insufficient in Taichung. The gap between the two cities makes Tainan 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 Tainan 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 Tainan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Taichung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.