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: $1,116 in Taichung versus $1,209 in Taoyuan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,868 in Taichung versus $1,825 in Taoyuan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,619 in Taichung versus $2,442 in Taoyuan.

Living in Taichung costs roughly 8% less than in Taoyuan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Taichung 18% lower, Taoyuan 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.69 NT$149

$4.46 NT$142

5.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.50 NT$1,001

$24.81 NT$788

26.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.71 NT$150

$5.53 NT$176

-14.83%

Cappuccino

$2.84 NT$90.3

$3.04 NT$96.5

-6.58%

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

$0.98 NT$31.21

$0.98 NT$31.08

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 NT$24.62

$0.73 NT$23.09

5.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 NT$49.89

$1.90 NT$60.5

-17.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 NT$88.6

$2.35 NT$74.6

18.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.31 NT$105

$2.85 NT$90.7

16.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 NT$54.8

$1.23 NT$39.23

39.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 NT$84.1

$2.63 NT$83.5

0.38%

Eggs

$2.63 NT$83.4

$2.11 NT$67.2

24.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.72 NT$913

$9.16 NT$291

213.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 NT$245

$7.49 NT$238

2.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.71 NT$531

$21.50 NT$683

-22.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 NT$135

$3.84 NT$122

10.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 NT$60.9

$2.02 NT$64.3

-4.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 NT$59.2

$3.08 NT$97.9

-39.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 NT$70.1

$3.15 NT$100

-29.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 NT$39.78

$2.50 NT$79.4

-50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 NT$62.5

$1.98 NT$63.1

-0.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 NT$78.0

$2.27 NT$72.2

8.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 NT$29.10

$0.88 NT$27.92

4.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.75 NT$119

$5.07 NT$161

-26.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.82 NT$503

$10.95 NT$348

44.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 NT$52.2

$1.45 NT$46.05

13.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 NT$81.4

$2.09 NT$66.5

22.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 NT$23.20

$0.55 NT$17.63

32.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.76 NT$1,009

$37.88 NT$1,204

-16.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 NT$85.5

$2.88 NT$91.5

-6.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 NT$31.15

$0.77 NT$24.61

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.64 NT$306

$7.04 NT$224

36.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 NT$33.53

$1.00 NT$31.70

6.00%

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

$33.7K NT$1.1M

$34.0K NT$1.1M

-0.97%

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

$23.2K NT$737.7K

$23.5K NT$748.1K

-1.39%

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

$108 NT$3,423

$69.1 NT$2,195

55.96%

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

$14.98 NT$476

$17.83 NT$566

-15.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.66 NT$688

$22.30 NT$709

-2.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.20 NT$1,023

$33.89 NT$1,077

-4.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.29 NT$422

$7.18 NT$228

85.10%

Cinema Ticket

$9.69 NT$308

$11.07 NT$352

-12.47%

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

$343 NT$10.9K

$531 NT$16.9K

-35.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K NT$545.1K

$32.4K NT$1.0M

-47.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.9 NT$2,189

$91.5 NT$2,907

-24.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.40 NT$1,157

$25.11 NT$798

44.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.3 NT$2,646

$82.7 NT$2,629

0.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 NT$3,570

$96.5 NT$3,067

16.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 NT$12.9K

$659 NT$20.9K

-38.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 NT$8,903

$435 NT$13.8K

-35.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 NT$37.8K

$956 NT$30.4K

24.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$763 NT$24.3K

$737 NT$23.4K

3.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,101 NT$225.6K

$7,589 NT$241.2K

-6.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,181 NT$164.6K

$4,683 NT$148.8K

10.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,407 NT$44.7K

$1,569 NT$49.8K

-10.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.27

2.18

4.13%

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

Last update for Taichung: September 13, 2026

Last update for Taoyuan: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $405 in Taichung and $659 in Taoyuan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taoyuan pays 11% 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 Taoyuan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $371 vs $313 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

Taichung wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Taoyuan. 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 11% lower in Taoyuan. 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 $659 in Taoyuan. 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 Taoyuan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,116 per month in Taichung versus $1,209 in Taoyuan – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,116 in Taichung versus $1,209 in Taoyuan, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Taichung but tight or insufficient in Taoyuan. 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 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 Taichung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Taoyuan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.