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: $1,180 in Taichung versus $1,081 in Yilan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,966 in Taichung versus $1,712 in Yilan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,752 in Taichung versus $2,343 in Yilan.

Living in Taichung is roughly 9% more expensive than in Yilan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Taichung 12% lower, Yilan 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.99 NT$161

$3.55 NT$114

40.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.18 NT$974

$30.77 NT$993

-1.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 NT$172

$5.36 NT$173

-0.93%

Cappuccino

$2.91 NT$94.0

$2.99 NT$96.6

-2.68%

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

$1.15 NT$37.21

$1.15 NT$37.15

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 NT$26.97

$0.75 NT$24.36

12.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.08 NT$67.2

$1.53 NT$49.50

35.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 NT$92.4

$2.94 NT$95.0

-2.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.91 NT$126

$3.62 NT$117

8.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 NT$56.8

$1.69 NT$54.4

4.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.78 NT$89.6

$1.96 NT$63.4

41.84%

Eggs

$3.14 NT$101

$2.74 NT$88.3

14.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.84 NT$1,028

$31.74 NT$1,024

0.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.23 NT$266

$8.08 NT$261

1.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.91 NT$514

$16.01 NT$517

-0.62%

Apples (1kg)

$4.68 NT$151

$4.56 NT$147

2.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 NT$55.9

$0.87 NT$27.93

98.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 NT$71.9

$2.22 NT$71.6

0.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 NT$99.0

$1.74 NT$56.2

76.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 NT$41.68

$1.29 NT$41.63

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 NT$61.4

$1.39 NT$44.96

36.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.36 NT$76.3

$2.17 NT$70.1

8.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 NT$40.12

$1.23 NT$39.79

0.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 NT$129

$4.12 NT$133

-3.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.50 NT$500

$15.32 NT$494

1.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 NT$53.4

$1.43 NT$46.00

15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 NT$86.1

$2.58 NT$83.4

3.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 NT$28.21

$1.03 NT$33.32

-15.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.55 NT$922

$34.65 NT$1,118

-17.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 NT$94.9

$2.91 NT$93.9

1.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 NT$38.28

$1.20 NT$38.71

-0.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.22 NT$330

$10.16 NT$328

0.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 NT$34.15

$1.01 NT$32.49

4.95%

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

$33.7K NT$1.1M

$27.6K NT$892.2K

21.76%

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

$26.4K NT$852.3K

$22.8K NT$736.7K

15.68%

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

$95.7 NT$3,088

$60.4 NT$1,948

58.47%

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

$24.69 NT$797

$16.63 NT$537

48.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.22 NT$685

$21.93 NT$708

-3.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.41 NT$1,143

$31.86 NT$1,028

11.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.35 NT$334

$16.93 NT$546

-38.87%

Cinema Ticket

$10.85 NT$350

$9.92 NT$320

9.37%

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

$357 NT$11.5K

$367 NT$11.8K

-2.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K NT$670.4K

$20.6K NT$665.8K

0.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.9 NT$2,774

$71.8 NT$2,316

19.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.53 NT$1,115

$34.71 NT$1,120

-0.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.3 NT$3,076

$78.8 NT$2,544

20.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 NT$4,222

$88.3 NT$2,850

48.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$377 NT$12.2K

$303 NT$9,772

24.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 NT$9,077

$286 NT$9,221

-1.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,044 NT$33.7K

$673 NT$21.7K

55.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$727 NT$23.4K

$509 NT$16.4K

42.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,208 NT$232.6K

$7,150 NT$230.8K

0.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,156 NT$166.4K

$4,917 NT$158.7K

4.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,392 NT$44.9K

$997 NT$32.2K

39.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.18

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

Last update for Taichung: July 12, 2026

Last update for Yilan: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $377 in Taichung and $303 in Yilan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taichung pays 40% 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: $30.00 in Taichung vs $31.00 in Yilan. Groceries flip the comparison at $400 vs $374, with Yilan 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 9% 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 40% 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 $303 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 $31.00 versus $30.00 in Taichung. 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 $1,081 in Yilan – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,081 in Yilan versus $1,180 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 9% less than in Taichung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.