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: $1,123 in Taichung versus $1,186 in Tainan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,916 in Taichung versus $2,066 in Tainan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,710 in Taichung versus $2,945 in Tainan.

Living in Taichung costs roughly 5% less than in Tainan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Taichung 19% lower, Tainan 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.86 NT$154

$4.70 NT$149

3.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.16 NT$1,019

$25.49 NT$807

26.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.87 NT$154

$4.75 NT$150

2.53%

Cappuccino

$2.87 NT$91.0

$3.26 NT$103

-11.96%

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

$1.03 NT$32.75

$1.36 NT$43.02

-24.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 NT$24.40

$0.85 NT$27.02

-9.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 NT$49.94

$3.13 NT$99.3

-49.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 NT$92.2

$3.53 NT$112

-17.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.30 NT$105

$3.19 NT$101

3.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 NT$56.2

$1.73 NT$54.9

2.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.68 NT$84.8

$2.98 NT$94.3

-10.07%

Eggs

$2.63 NT$83.3

$3.16 NT$100

-16.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.27 NT$927

$22.90 NT$725

27.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.14 NT$258

$12.95 NT$410

-37.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.73 NT$530

$20.78 NT$658

-19.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 NT$136

$5.44 NT$172

-20.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 NT$62.6

$2.81 NT$89.0

-29.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 NT$59.2

$4.84 NT$153

-61.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 NT$72.7

$7.14 NT$226

-67.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 NT$39.35

$4.77 NT$151

-74.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 NT$62.1

$4.49 NT$142

-56.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 NT$77.0

$3.02 NT$95.7

-19.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 NT$27.61

$1.50 NT$47.51

-42.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.78 NT$120

$3.90 NT$124

-3.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.60 NT$494

$12.17 NT$385

28.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 NT$52.1

$2.02 NT$63.9

-18.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 NT$82.4

$2.34 NT$74.1

11.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 NT$21.47

$0.66 NT$20.78

3.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.34 NT$993

$34.24 NT$1,084

-8.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 NT$84.4

$2.65 NT$83.8

0.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 NT$30.60

$0.97 NT$30.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.29 NT$294

$5.75 NT$182

61.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 NT$32.29

$1.03 NT$32.49

-0.97%

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

$33.8K NT$1.1M

$36.9K NT$1.2M

-8.37%

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

$22.9K NT$726.6K

$25.5K NT$808.5K

-10.14%

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

$108 NT$3,409

$90.7 NT$2,872

18.71%

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

$15.03 NT$476

$17.28 NT$547

-13.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.12 NT$669

$21.61 NT$685

-2.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.21 NT$1,020

$45.85 NT$1,452

-29.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.31 NT$422

Cinema Ticket

$10.04 NT$318

$10.79 NT$342

-6.95%

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

$345 NT$10.9K

$438 NT$13.9K

-21.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K NT$533.1K

$5,477 NT$173.5K

207.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.0 NT$2,184

$94.1 NT$2,980

-26.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.61 NT$1,160

$46.73 NT$1,480

-21.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.7 NT$2,652

$118 NT$3,742

-29.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 NT$3,473

$123 NT$3,908

-11.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 NT$12.8K

$313 NT$9,917

29.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$284 NT$9,005

$198 NT$6,280

43.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,216 NT$38.5K

$866 NT$27.4K

40.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$750 NT$23.8K

$714 NT$22.6K

5.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,201 NT$228.1K

$4,188 NT$132.6K

71.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,336 NT$169.0K

$3,165 NT$100.2K

68.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,399 NT$44.3K

$1,403 NT$44.5K

-0.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.27

2.5

-9.20%

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

Last update for Taichung: September 7, 2026

Last update for Tainan: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $405 in Taichung and $313 in Tainan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tainan pays 0% 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: $32.00 in Taichung vs $25.00 in Tainan. Groceries flip the comparison at $375 vs $461, with Taichung 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 Tainan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taichung wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Tainan. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Taichung the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 0% lower in Tainan. 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: $405 in Taichung versus $313 in Tainan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Taichung – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $25.00 in Tainan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,123 per month in Taichung versus $1,186 in Tainan – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,123 in Taichung versus $1,186 in Tainan, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Taichung but tight or insufficient in Tainan. 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 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 Taichung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Tainan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.