Cost of Living Comparison Between Taichung and Yilan Cost of Living Comparison Between Taichung and Yilan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,116 in Taichung versus $1,001 in Yilan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,868 in Taichung versus $1,746 in Yilan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,619 in Taichung versus $2,491 in Yilan.

Living in Taichung is roughly 11% more expensive than in Yilan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Taichung 18% lower, Yilan 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.69 NT$149

$3.56 NT$113

31.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.50 NT$1,001

$30.37 NT$965

3.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.71 NT$150

$4.85 NT$154

-2.89%

Cappuccino

$2.84 NT$90.3

$2.77 NT$87.9

2.53%

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

$0.98 NT$31.21

$1.05 NT$33.27

-6.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 NT$24.62

$0.71 NT$22.65

8.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 NT$49.89

$1.49 NT$47.42

5.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 NT$88.6

$2.94 NT$93.5

-5.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.31 NT$105

$3.21 NT$102

3.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 NT$54.8

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 NT$84.1

$2.66 NT$84.4

-0.75%

Eggs

$2.63 NT$83.4

$2.55 NT$81.0

3.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.72 NT$913

$29.36 NT$933

-2.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 NT$245

$7.93 NT$252

-2.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.71 NT$531

$16.85 NT$535

-0.83%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 NT$135

$4.40 NT$140

-3.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 NT$60.9

$1.93 NT$61.3

-0.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 NT$59.2

$1.84 NT$58.4

1.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 NT$70.1

$2.27 NT$72.0

-2.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 NT$39.78

$1.21 NT$38.55

3.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 NT$62.5

$1.91 NT$60.8

3.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 NT$78.0

$2.37 NT$75.3

3.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 NT$29.10

$0.92 NT$29.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.75 NT$119

$3.71 NT$118

1.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.82 NT$503

$15.87 NT$504

-0.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 NT$52.2

$1.41 NT$44.87

16.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 NT$81.4

$2.53 NT$80.4

1.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 NT$23.20

$0.76 NT$24.03

-3.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.76 NT$1,009

$36.58 NT$1,162

-13.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 NT$85.5

$2.74 NT$87.1

-1.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 NT$31.15

$0.93 NT$29.61

5.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.64 NT$306

$9.24 NT$294

4.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 NT$33.53

$0.99 NT$31.56

7.07%

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

$33.7K NT$1.1M

$25.0K NT$794.0K

34.79%

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

$23.2K NT$737.7K

$19.9K NT$632.4K

16.65%

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

$108 NT$3,423

$47.93 NT$1,523

124.74%

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

$14.98 NT$476

$14.86 NT$472

0.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.66 NT$688

$21.17 NT$673

2.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.20 NT$1,023

$31.96 NT$1,016

0.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.29 NT$422

Cinema Ticket

$9.69 NT$308

$8.29 NT$263

16.89%

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

$343 NT$10.9K

$347 NT$11.0K

-1.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K NT$545.1K

$17.0K NT$538.9K

1.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.9 NT$2,189

$54.6 NT$1,736

26.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.40 NT$1,157

$31.89 NT$1,013

14.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.3 NT$2,646

$83.9 NT$2,665

-0.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 NT$3,570

$62.7 NT$1,992

79.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 NT$12.9K

$278 NT$8,844

45.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 NT$8,903

$254 NT$8,075

10.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 NT$37.8K

$992 NT$31.5K

19.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$763 NT$24.3K

$744 NT$23.6K

2.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,101 NT$225.6K

$7,457 NT$237.0K

-4.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,181 NT$164.6K

$5,040 NT$160.2K

2.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,407 NT$44.7K

$1,026 NT$32.6K

37.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.27

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

Last update for Taichung: September 13, 2026

Last update for Yilan: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $405 in Taichung and $278 in Yilan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taichung pays 37% 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 $30.00 in Yilan. Groceries flip the comparison at $371 vs $373, with Taichung 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 Yilan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yilan wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Taichung. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Yilan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 37% 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 $278 in Yilan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Yilan – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $32.00 in Taichung. 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 $1,001 in Yilan – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,001 in Yilan versus $1,116 in Taichung, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Yilan but tight or insufficient in Taichung. The gap between the two cities makes Yilan 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 Yilan 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 Yilan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Taichung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.