Cost of Living Comparison Between Taichung and Taoyuan Cost of Living Comparison Between Taichung and Taoyuan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,203 in Taichung versus $1,133 in Taoyuan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,954 in Taichung versus $1,711 in Taoyuan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,704 in Taichung versus $2,289 in Taoyuan.

Living in Taichung is roughly 6% more expensive than Taoyuan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Taichung 10% lower, Taoyuan 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.99 NT$158

$5.06 NT$160

-1.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.95 NT$948

$25.54 NT$808

17.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.46 NT$173

$6.17 NT$195

-11.51%

Cappuccino

$2.93 NT$92.8

$2.94 NT$92.9

-0.34%

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

$1.16 NT$36.63

$1.29 NT$40.87

-10.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 NT$27.21

$0.78 NT$24.81

10.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 NT$68.4

$1.68 NT$53.1

28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 NT$89.6

$2.40 NT$76.0

17.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.79 NT$120

$3.21 NT$102

18.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 NT$55.5

$1.38 NT$43.56

26.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.77 NT$87.8

$2.53 NT$79.9

9.49%

Eggs

$3.29 NT$104

$2.23 NT$70.5

47.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.49 NT$997

$9.18 NT$291

243.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.10 NT$256

$8.02 NT$254

1.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.61 NT$494

$15.90 NT$503

-1.82%

Apples (1kg)

$4.72 NT$150

$3.34 NT$106

41.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 NT$57.7

$1.90 NT$60.2

-4.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 NT$72.2

$2.62 NT$83.0

-12.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 NT$97.2

$3.00 NT$95.0

2.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 NT$42.59

$2.44 NT$77.2

-44.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 NT$59.4

$1.89 NT$59.7

-0.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 NT$74.3

$2.56 NT$80.9

-8.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 NT$40.64

$0.87 NT$27.61

47.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 NT$131

$6.61 NT$209

-37.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.69 NT$497

$9.44 NT$299

66.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 NT$52.1

$1.84 NT$58.2

-10.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 NT$82.9

$2.37 NT$75.0

10.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 NT$27.25

$0.70 NT$22.08

22.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.22 NT$925

$41.05 NT$1,299

-28.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 NT$93.7

$3.13 NT$99.0

-5.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 NT$38.90

$0.78 NT$24.80

57.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.33 NT$327

$8.03 NT$254

28.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 NT$31.79

$1.05 NT$33.34

-4.76%

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

$34.4K NT$1.1M

$35.9K NT$1.1M

-4.27%

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

$26.4K NT$835.4K

$26.4K NT$834.4K

0.13%

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

$97.3 NT$3,080

$65.2 NT$2,063

49.26%

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

$24.15 NT$764

$29.34 NT$928

-17.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.53 NT$681

$19.10 NT$605

12.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.96 NT$1,138

$37.10 NT$1,174

-3.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.14 NT$321

$10.26 NT$325

-1.17%

Cinema Ticket

$10.66 NT$337

$9.97 NT$316

6.92%

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

$356 NT$11.3K

$575 NT$18.2K

-38.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.0K NT$664.8K

$15.3K NT$485.7K

36.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.7 NT$2,712

$82.6 NT$2,613

3.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.47 NT$1,091

$24.12 NT$763

42.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.9 NT$2,972

$84.7 NT$2,680

10.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 NT$4,137

$101 NT$3,200

29.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$385 NT$12.2K

$424 NT$13.4K

-9.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 NT$8,893

$343 NT$10.9K

-18.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,025 NT$32.4K

$837 NT$26.5K

22.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$714 NT$22.6K

$613 NT$19.4K

16.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,104 NT$224.8K

$8,004 NT$253.3K

-11.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,345 NT$169.2K

$5,235 NT$165.7K

2.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,415 NT$44.8K

$1,536 NT$48.6K

-7.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.18

1.57

38.85%

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

Last update for Taichung: April 26, 2026

Last update for Taoyuan: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $385 in Taichung and $424 in Taoyuan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taoyuan pays 9% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $30.00 in Taichung vs $26.00 in Taoyuan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $398 vs $299 per month, with Taoyuan 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 Taoyuan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

On paper, Taoyuan earns 9% less. 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: $385 in Taichung versus $424 in Taoyuan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Taoyuan – a meal for two runs $26.00 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 $1,133 in Taoyuan – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,133 in Taoyuan versus $1,203 in Taichung, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Taoyuan but tight or insufficient in Taichung. The gap between the two cities makes Taoyuan 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 Taoyuan 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 Taoyuan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Taichung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.