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: $1,181 in Taichung versus $1,103 in Taoyuan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,953 in Taichung versus $1,715 in Taoyuan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,725 in Taichung versus $2,328 in Taoyuan.

Living in Taichung is roughly 7% more expensive than in Taoyuan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Taichung 11% lower, Taoyuan 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.06 NT$164

$5.13 NT$166

-1.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.00 NT$1,003

$25.22 NT$816

22.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.35 NT$173

$6.12 NT$198

-12.58%

Cappuccino

$2.89 NT$93.5

$2.78 NT$89.9

3.96%

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

$1.11 NT$35.77

$1.24 NT$39.97

-10.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 NT$26.14

$0.78 NT$25.09

3.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 NT$69.4

$1.63 NT$52.6

31.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 NT$91.0

$2.40 NT$77.6

17.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.71 NT$120

$3.29 NT$106

12.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 NT$57.3

$1.40 NT$45.25

26.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.76 NT$89.3

$2.39 NT$77.3

15.48%

Eggs

$3.15 NT$102

$2.29 NT$74.2

37.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.26 NT$1,011

$9.25 NT$299

237.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.16 NT$264

$8.06 NT$261

1.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.93 NT$515

$15.83 NT$512

0.63%

Apples (1kg)

$4.52 NT$146

$3.30 NT$107

36.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 NT$58.8

$1.90 NT$61.6

-4.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 NT$70.8

$2.73 NT$88.3

-19.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.06 NT$99.0

$2.99 NT$96.8

2.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 NT$43.18

$2.35 NT$76.1

-43.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 NT$61.2

$1.88 NT$60.8

0.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 NT$76.0

$2.55 NT$82.6

-7.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 NT$42.27

$0.91 NT$29.43

43.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 NT$135

$6.37 NT$206

-34.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.62 NT$505

$10.67 NT$345

46.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 NT$56.0

$1.81 NT$58.7

-4.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 NT$85.3

$2.36 NT$76.5

11.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 NT$29.81

$0.66 NT$21.45

39.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.99 NT$938

$39.94 NT$1,292

-27.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 NT$92.3

$3.03 NT$97.9

-5.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 NT$39.65

$0.72 NT$23.43

70.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.97 NT$323

$8.24 NT$266

21.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 NT$33.89

$1.06 NT$34.27

-0.94%

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

$33.6K NT$1.1M

$36.1K NT$1.2M

-7.14%

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

$26.0K NT$840.7K

$26.9K NT$870.3K

-3.40%

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

$95.5 NT$3,088

$66.4 NT$2,146

43.87%

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

$24.72 NT$800

$29.10 NT$941

-15.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.38 NT$692

$18.97 NT$614

12.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.64 NT$1,153

$37.03 NT$1,198

-3.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.04 NT$325

Cinema Ticket

$10.50 NT$340

$10.15 NT$328

3.45%

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

$362 NT$11.7K

$582 NT$18.8K

-37.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.2K NT$684.3K

$15.4K NT$499.7K

36.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.9 NT$2,746

$81.3 NT$2,630

4.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.21 NT$1,107

$23.97 NT$776

42.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.9 NT$3,036

$84.3 NT$2,725

11.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 NT$4,145

$103 NT$3,331

24.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$376 NT$12.2K

$418 NT$13.5K

-9.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 NT$9,291

$351 NT$11.4K

-18.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,054 NT$34.1K

$832 NT$26.9K

26.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 NT$23.1K

$598 NT$19.4K

19.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,933 NT$224.3K

$7,335 NT$237.3K

-5.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,135 NT$166.1K

$4,640 NT$150.1K

10.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,400 NT$45.3K

$1,505 NT$48.7K

-7.03%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Taoyuan: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $376 in Taichung and $418 in Taoyuan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taoyuan pays 8% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $31.00 in Taichung vs $25.00 in Taoyuan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $396 vs $302 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 7% 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, salaries run 8% 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: $376 in Taichung versus $418 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 $25.00 versus $31.00 in Taichung. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,181 per month in Taichung versus $1,103 in Taoyuan – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,103 in Taoyuan versus $1,181 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 7% less than in Taichung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.