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: $1,180 in Taichung versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,966 in Taichung versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,752 in Taichung versus $3,763 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Taichung costs roughly 16% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Taichung is 12% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.99 NT$161

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

44.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.18 NT$975

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

-6.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 NT$172

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

9.71%

Cappuccino

$2.91 NT$94.1

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

5.82%

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

$1.15 NT$37.25

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 NT$27.00

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

12.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.08 NT$67.2

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

-30.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 NT$92.5

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

-25.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.91 NT$127

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

124.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 NT$56.8

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

-28.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.78 NT$89.7

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

137.61%

Eggs

$3.14 NT$102

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

29.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.84 NT$1,029

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

119.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.23 NT$266

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

89.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.91 NT$514

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

32.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.68 NT$151

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

25.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 NT$55.9

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

6.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 NT$72.0

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

-18.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 NT$99.1

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

37.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 NT$41.73

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

-32.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 NT$61.5

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

-16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.36 NT$76.4

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

122.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 NT$40.17

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

72.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 NT$129

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

21.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.50 NT$501

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

-33.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 NT$53.5

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

-40.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 NT$86.2

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

-2.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 NT$28.24

$0.27 Rp 4,778

222.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.55 NT$923

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

252.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 NT$95.0

$0.48 Rp 8,659

512.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 NT$38.32

$0.42 Rp 7,532

183.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.22 NT$330

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

64.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 NT$34.19

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

30.86%

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

$33.7K NT$1.1M

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

26.48%

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

$26.4K NT$853.2K

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

-17.97%

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

$95.7 NT$3,091

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

22.11%

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

$24.69 NT$798

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

506.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.22 NT$686

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

-12.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.41 NT$1,144

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

-64.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.35 NT$334

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

63.25%

Cinema Ticket

$10.85 NT$351

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

171.93%

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

$357 NT$11.5K

$305 Rp 5.5M

17.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K NT$671.2K

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

212.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.9 NT$2,777

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

58.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.53 NT$1,116

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

-8.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.3 NT$3,079

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

9.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 NT$4,227

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

71.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$377 NT$12.2K

$992 Rp 17.8M

-61.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 NT$9,088

$673 Rp 12.1M

-58.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,044 NT$33.7K

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

-69.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$727 NT$23.5K

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

-64.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,208 NT$232.9K

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

157.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,156 NT$166.6K

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

131.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,392 NT$45.0K

$167 Rp 3.0M

733.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.18

13.28

-83.58%

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

Last update for Taichung: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $377 in Taichung and $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taichung pays 734% 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $400 vs $297, 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 19% 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 734% 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: $377 in Taichung versus $992 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 $30.00 versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,180 per month in Taichung versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,180 in Taichung versus $1,408 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 $1,180 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 19% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.