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: $1,180 in Taichung versus $1,077 in Tainan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,966 in Taichung versus $1,884 in Tainan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,752 in Taichung versus $2,690 in Tainan.

Living in Taichung is roughly 10% more expensive than in Tainan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Taichung 12% lower, Tainan 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.99 NT$161

$6.08 NT$196

-17.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.18 NT$974

$27.21 NT$878

10.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 NT$172

$4.94 NT$159

7.49%

Cappuccino

$2.91 NT$94.0

$3.48 NT$112

-16.38%

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

$1.15 NT$37.21

$1.13 NT$36.34

1.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 NT$26.97

$0.75 NT$24.16

12.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.08 NT$67.2

$3.36 NT$109

-38.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 NT$92.4

$3.45 NT$111

-17.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.91 NT$126

$3.21 NT$104

21.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 NT$56.8

$1.88 NT$60.5

-6.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.78 NT$89.6

$2.87 NT$92.5

-3.14%

Eggs

$3.14 NT$101

$2.78 NT$89.7

12.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.84 NT$1,028

$19.96 NT$644

59.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.23 NT$266

$10.11 NT$326

-18.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.91 NT$514

$20.25 NT$654

-21.43%

Apples (1kg)

$4.68 NT$151

$4.30 NT$139

8.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 NT$55.9

$2.93 NT$94.7

-40.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 NT$71.9

$2.90 NT$93.6

-23.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 NT$99.0

$4.16 NT$134

-26.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 NT$41.68

$2.92 NT$94.3

-55.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 NT$61.4

$2.28 NT$73.6

-16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.36 NT$76.3

$1.70 NT$54.9

38.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 NT$40.12

$1.07 NT$34.51

15.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 NT$129

$4.05 NT$131

-1.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.50 NT$500

$13.52 NT$436

14.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 NT$53.4

$1.75 NT$56.6

-5.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 NT$86.1

$2.35 NT$75.9

13.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 NT$28.21

$0.59 NT$18.88

47.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.55 NT$922

$21.97 NT$709

29.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 NT$94.9

$2.90 NT$93.5

1.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 NT$38.28

$0.79 NT$25.54

50.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.22 NT$330

$10.32 NT$333

-0.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 NT$34.15

$1.01 NT$32.65

4.95%

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

$33.7K NT$1.1M

$38.6K NT$1.2M

-12.81%

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

$26.4K NT$852.3K

$26.4K NT$853.7K

-0.16%

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

$95.7 NT$3,088

$84.6 NT$2,730

13.09%

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

$24.69 NT$797

$18.51 NT$597

33.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.22 NT$685

$23.10 NT$746

-8.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.41 NT$1,143

$40.10 NT$1,294

-11.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.35 NT$334

$15.06 NT$486

-31.27%

Cinema Ticket

$10.85 NT$350

$11.73 NT$379

-7.50%

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

$357 NT$11.5K

$273 NT$8,810

30.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K NT$670.4K

$6,899 NT$222.7K

201.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.9 NT$2,774

$57.6 NT$1,858

49.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.53 NT$1,115

$30.71 NT$991

12.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.3 NT$3,076

$92.6 NT$2,989

2.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 NT$4,222

$121 NT$3,917

7.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$377 NT$12.2K

$331 NT$10.7K

14.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 NT$9,077

$194 NT$6,257

45.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,044 NT$33.7K

$695 NT$22.4K

50.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$727 NT$23.4K

$731 NT$23.6K

-0.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,208 NT$232.6K

$3,050 NT$98.5K

136.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,156 NT$166.4K

$3,037 NT$98.0K

69.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,392 NT$44.9K

$1,352 NT$43.6K

2.95%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Tainan: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $377 in Taichung and $331 in Tainan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taichung pays 3% 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 $400 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 10% 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.

Average pay runs 3% 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: $377 in Taichung versus $331 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 $1,180 per month in Taichung versus $1,077 in Tainan – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,077 in Tainan versus $1,180 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 10% less than in Taichung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.