Cost of Living Comparison Between Taichung and Taipei Cost of Living Comparison Between Taichung and Taipei

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,148 in Taichung versus $1,371 in Taipei.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,904 in Taichung versus $2,237 in Taipei.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,659 in Taichung versus $3,104 in Taipei.

Living in Taichung costs roughly 16% less than in Taipei, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Taichung is 16% below, Taipei is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.83 NT$153

$4.62 NT$146

4.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.11 NT$1,017

$48.10 NT$1,523

-33.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 NT$151

$5.87 NT$186

-18.57%

Cappuccino

$2.74 NT$86.9

$3.44 NT$109

-20.35%

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

$0.99 NT$31.31

$0.92 NT$29.16

7.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 NT$24.12

$0.66 NT$20.96

15.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.60 NT$50.6

$2.76 NT$87.4

-42.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 NT$90.4

$3.74 NT$119

-23.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.17 NT$101

$3.04 NT$96.3

4.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 NT$55.9

$1.97 NT$62.3

-10.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.67 NT$84.4

$3.03 NT$96.0

-11.88%

Eggs

$2.50 NT$79.3

$2.77 NT$87.9

-9.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.55 NT$904

$19.90 NT$630

43.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.72 NT$245

$9.95 NT$315

-22.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.58 NT$525

$21.25 NT$673

-21.98%

Apples (1kg)

$4.19 NT$133

$5.04 NT$160

-16.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 NT$62.2

$3.36 NT$106

-41.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 NT$58.7

$3.12 NT$98.8

-40.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 NT$70.9

$4.46 NT$141

-49.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 NT$39.41

$2.80 NT$88.8

-55.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 NT$60.8

$2.32 NT$73.5

-17.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 NT$76.3

$1.71 NT$54.3

40.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 NT$28.35

$1.18 NT$37.30

-23.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.85 NT$122

$3.90 NT$124

-1.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.07 NT$509

$14.43 NT$457

11.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 NT$51.3

$1.67 NT$52.8

-2.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 NT$78.5

$2.31 NT$73.1

7.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 NT$23.39

$0.69 NT$21.97

7.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.80 NT$1,007

$37.23 NT$1,179

-14.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 NT$83.0

$2.70 NT$85.4

-2.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 NT$29.58

$0.75 NT$23.83

24.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.67 NT$306

$9.50 NT$301

1.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 NT$33.41

$1.01 NT$32.10

3.96%

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

$33.3K NT$1.1M

$33.8K NT$1.1M

-1.33%

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

$23.3K NT$738.3K

$24.1K NT$763.6K

-3.31%

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

$110 NT$3,474

$85.7 NT$2,714

28.01%

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

$15.30 NT$485

$18.27 NT$579

-16.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.93 NT$663

$27.88 NT$883

-24.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.98 NT$1,044

$41.07 NT$1,301

-19.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.13 NT$416

$15.95 NT$505

-17.68%

Cinema Ticket

$10.01 NT$317

$9.66 NT$306

3.62%

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

$336 NT$10.6K

$633 NT$20.0K

-46.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K NT$533.1K

$16.9K NT$534.2K

-0.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 NT$2,151

$61.7 NT$1,955

10.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.17 NT$1,146

$40.47 NT$1,282

-10.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 NT$2,711

$83.8 NT$2,655

2.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 NT$3,459

$107 NT$3,396

1.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$401 NT$12.7K

$866 NT$27.4K

-53.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$283 NT$8,965

$494 NT$15.7K

-42.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,237 NT$39.2K

$1,572 NT$49.8K

-21.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$747 NT$23.7K

$955 NT$30.3K

-21.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,108 NT$225.1K

$12.7K NT$401.0K

-43.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,222 NT$165.4K

$7,665 NT$242.8K

-31.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,393 NT$44.1K

$1,716 NT$54.3K

-18.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.27

2.4

-5.42%

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

Last update for Taichung: August 30, 2026

Last update for Taipei: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $401 in Taichung and $866 in Taipei. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taipei pays 23% 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 $48.00 in Taipei for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $369 vs $402 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 Taipei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taichung wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Taipei. 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 23% lower in Taipei. 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: $401 in Taichung versus $866 in Taipei. 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 $48.00 in Taipei. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,148 per month in Taichung versus $1,371 in Taipei – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,148 in Taichung versus $1,371 in Taipei, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Taichung but tight or insufficient in Taipei. 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 Taipei 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 19% less than in Taipei. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.