Cost of Living Comparison Between Taichung and Taitung Cost of Living Comparison Between Taichung and Taitung

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,203 in Taichung versus $1,120 in Taitung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,954 in Taichung versus $1,864 in Taitung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,704 in Taichung versus $2,607 in Taitung.

Living in Taichung is roughly 7% more expensive than Taitung, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Taichung 10% lower, Taitung 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.99 NT$158

$3.97 NT$126

25.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.95 NT$948

$40.27 NT$1,275

-25.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.46 NT$173

$5.80 NT$184

-5.86%

Cappuccino

$2.93 NT$92.8

$3.76 NT$119

-22.07%

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

$1.16 NT$36.63

$1.18 NT$37.32

-1.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 NT$27.21

$0.75 NT$23.68

14.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 NT$68.4

$3.38 NT$107

-36.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 NT$89.6

$3.36 NT$106

-15.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.79 NT$120

$3.25 NT$103

16.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 NT$55.5

$1.89 NT$59.7

-7.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.77 NT$87.8

$3.06 NT$96.8

-9.48%

Eggs

$3.29 NT$104

$2.38 NT$75.2

38.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.49 NT$997

$20.31 NT$643

55.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.10 NT$256

$4.15 NT$131

95.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.61 NT$494

$20.55 NT$650

-24.04%

Apples (1kg)

$4.72 NT$150

$2.05 NT$64.9

130.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 NT$57.7

$2.99 NT$94.7

-39.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 NT$72.2

$2.02 NT$63.9

12.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 NT$97.2

$4.11 NT$130

-25.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 NT$42.59

$2.83 NT$89.6

-52.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 NT$59.4

$2.25 NT$71.1

-16.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 NT$74.3

$1.96 NT$62.2

19.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 NT$40.64

$1.38 NT$43.58

-7.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 NT$131

$4.12 NT$130

0.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.69 NT$497

$14.99 NT$474

4.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 NT$52.1

$1.76 NT$55.8

-6.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 NT$82.9

$2.31 NT$73.2

13.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 NT$27.25

$0.84 NT$26.43

2.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.22 NT$925

$38.80 NT$1,228

-24.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 NT$93.7

$2.83 NT$89.6

4.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 NT$38.90

$0.77 NT$24.52

59.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.33 NT$327

$10.34 NT$327

-0.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 NT$31.79

$1.03 NT$32.69

-2.91%

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

$34.4K NT$1.1M

$38.2K NT$1.2M

-9.94%

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

$26.4K NT$835.4K

$27.5K NT$869.2K

-3.89%

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

$97.3 NT$3,080

$84.9 NT$2,686

14.66%

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

$24.15 NT$764

$19.04 NT$603

26.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.53 NT$681

$24.72 NT$782

-12.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.96 NT$1,138

$37.87 NT$1,199

-5.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.14 NT$321

$15.08 NT$477

-32.76%

Cinema Ticket

$10.66 NT$337

$10.15 NT$321

5.02%

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

$356 NT$11.3K

$630 NT$19.9K

-43.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.0K NT$664.8K

$18.9K NT$597.1K

11.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.7 NT$2,712

$30.61 NT$969

179.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.47 NT$1,091

$16.71 NT$529

106.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.9 NT$2,972

$53.3 NT$1,687

76.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 NT$4,137

$122 NT$3,846

7.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$385 NT$12.2K

$425 NT$13.5K

-9.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 NT$8,893

$285 NT$9,015

-1.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,025 NT$32.4K

$1,052 NT$33.3K

-2.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$714 NT$22.6K

$738 NT$23.4K

-3.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,104 NT$224.8K

$6,746 NT$213.5K

5.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,345 NT$169.2K

$4,689 NT$148.4K

13.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,415 NT$44.8K

$637 NT$20.2K

122.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.18

2.19

-0.46%

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

Last update for Taichung: April 26, 2026

Last update for Taitung: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $385 in Taichung and $425 in Taitung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taichung pays 122% 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 $40.00 in Taitung. Groceries flip the comparison at $398 vs $354, with Taitung 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 Taitung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taitung wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Taichung. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Taitung the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Taichung pays 122% 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: $385 in Taichung versus $425 in Taitung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Taitung – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $30.00 in Taichung. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,203 per month in Taichung versus $1,120 in Taitung – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,120 in Taitung versus $1,203 in Taichung, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Taitung but tight or insufficient in Taichung. The gap between the two cities makes Taitung 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 Taitung 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 Taitung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Taichung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.