Cost of Living Comparison Between Taichung and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Taichung and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,116 in Taichung versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,868 in Taichung versus $2,348 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,619 in Taichung versus $3,327 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Taichung costs roughly 18% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Taichung is 18% below, Ubud, Bali is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.69 NT$149

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

36.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.50 NT$1,003

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

-13.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.71 NT$150

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

-17.51%

Cappuccino

$2.84 NT$90.4

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

6.37%

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

$0.98 NT$31.26

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

-44.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 NT$24.66

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

-11.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 NT$49.97

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

-46.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 NT$88.8

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

-38.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.31 NT$105

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

104.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 NT$54.9

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

-26.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 NT$84.2

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

137.84%

Eggs

$2.63 NT$83.6

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

19.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.72 NT$914

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

62.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 NT$245

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

87.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.71 NT$532

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

37.19%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 NT$135

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

14.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 NT$61.0

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

20.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 NT$59.3

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

-18.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 NT$70.2

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

13.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 NT$39.85

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

-34.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 NT$62.6

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

-15.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 NT$78.2

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

143.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 NT$29.15

$0.55 Rp 9,773

67.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.75 NT$120

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

68.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.82 NT$504

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

-31.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 NT$52.3

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

-32.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 NT$81.5

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

-14.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 NT$23.24

$0.27 Rp 4,814

170.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.76 NT$1,011

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

253.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 NT$85.7

$0.48 Rp 8,566

460.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 NT$31.20

$0.43 Rp 7,679

127.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.64 NT$307

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

70.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 NT$33.59

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

32.50%

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

$33.7K NT$1.1M

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

35.02%

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

$23.2K NT$738.9K

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

-26.80%

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

$108 NT$3,429

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

32.24%

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

$14.98 NT$477

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

130.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.66 NT$689

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

15.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.20 NT$1,025

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

-43.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.29 NT$423

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

-29.04%

Cinema Ticket

$9.69 NT$308

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

113.44%

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

$343 NT$10.9K

$481 Rp 8.5M

-28.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K NT$546.1K

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

200.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.9 NT$2,193

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

51.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.40 NT$1,159

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

1.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.3 NT$2,650

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

3.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 NT$3,577

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

42.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 NT$12.9K

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

-63.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 NT$8,918

$698 Rp 12.4M

-59.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 NT$37.9K

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

-67.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$763 NT$24.3K

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

-56.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,101 NT$226.0K

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

155.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,181 NT$164.9K

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

126.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,407 NT$44.8K

$168 Rp 3.0M

737.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.27

13.78

-83.53%

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

Last update for Taichung: September 13, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $405 in Taichung and $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taichung pays 738% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Taichung vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $371 vs $295, with Ubud, Bali 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 Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taichung wins on cost – living expenses run 23% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Taichung the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 738% higher in Taichung, 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: $405 in Taichung versus $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. 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 $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. 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 $1,368 in Ubud, Bali – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,116 in Taichung versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Taichung but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Taichung the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Taichung delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,116 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Taichung hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Taichung and Ubud, Bali 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 23% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.