Cost of Living Comparison Between Taichung and Zhongli City Cost of Living Comparison Between Taichung and Zhongli City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,203 in Taichung versus $1,058 in Zhongli City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,954 in Taichung versus $1,780 in Zhongli City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,704 in Taichung versus $2,502 in Zhongli City.

Living in Taichung is roughly 14% more expensive than Zhongli City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Taichung 10% lower, Zhongli City 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.99 NT$158

$5.16 NT$163

-3.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.95 NT$948

$20.19 NT$639

48.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.46 NT$173

$4.60 NT$146

18.70%

Cappuccino

$2.93 NT$92.8

$2.49 NT$78.8

17.67%

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

$1.16 NT$36.63

$0.73 NT$22.96

58.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 NT$27.21

$0.57 NT$18.09

50.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 NT$68.4

$1.40 NT$44.39

54.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 NT$89.6

$1.50 NT$47.53

88.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.79 NT$120

$3.31 NT$105

14.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 NT$55.5

$1.75 NT$55.3

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.77 NT$87.8

$2.73 NT$86.4

1.47%

Eggs

$3.29 NT$104

$2.58 NT$81.8

27.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.49 NT$997

$30.96 NT$980

1.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.10 NT$256

$7.97 NT$252

1.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.61 NT$494

$15.71 NT$497

-0.64%

Apples (1kg)

$4.72 NT$150

$4.51 NT$143

4.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 NT$57.7

$1.74 NT$55.2

4.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 NT$72.2

$2.28 NT$72.3

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 NT$97.2

$2.95 NT$93.4

4.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 NT$42.59

$1.27 NT$40.29

6.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 NT$59.4

$1.88 NT$59.5

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 NT$74.3

$2.31 NT$73.0

1.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 NT$40.64

$1.24 NT$39.25

3.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 NT$131

$4.17 NT$132

-0.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.69 NT$497

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 NT$52.1

$1.67 NT$52.9

-1.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 NT$82.9

$2.32 NT$73.6

12.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 NT$27.25

$0.62 NT$19.69

38.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.22 NT$925

$40.57 NT$1,284

-27.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 NT$93.7

$2.80 NT$88.7

5.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 NT$38.90

$0.80 NT$25.17

53.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.33 NT$327

$10.02 NT$317

3.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 NT$31.79

$0.99 NT$31.19

1.01%

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

$34.4K NT$1.1M

$33.6K NT$1.1M

2.36%

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

$26.4K NT$835.4K

$26.0K NT$822.4K

1.59%

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

$97.3 NT$3,080

$95.9 NT$3,034

1.49%

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

$24.15 NT$764

$13.45 NT$426

79.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.53 NT$681

$10.15 NT$321

112.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.96 NT$1,138

$37.36 NT$1,183

-3.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.14 NT$321

$15.03 NT$476

-32.53%

Cinema Ticket

$10.66 NT$337

$9.14 NT$289

16.63%

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

$356 NT$11.3K

$361 NT$11.4K

-1.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.0K NT$664.8K

$21.0K NT$665.4K

-0.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.7 NT$2,712

$60.0 NT$1,899

42.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.47 NT$1,091

$20.29 NT$642

69.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.9 NT$2,972

$77.8 NT$2,463

20.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 NT$4,137

$68.1 NT$2,156

91.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$385 NT$12.2K

$435 NT$13.8K

-11.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 NT$8,893

$256 NT$8,107

9.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,025 NT$32.4K

$1,039 NT$32.9K

-1.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$714 NT$22.6K

$743 NT$23.5K

-3.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,104 NT$224.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,345 NT$169.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,415 NT$44.8K

$2,336 NT$73.9K

-39.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.18

2.1

3.81%

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

Last update for Taichung: April 26, 2026

Last update for Zhongli City: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $385 in Taichung and $435 in Zhongli City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zhongli City pays 65% 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 $20.00 in Zhongli City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $398 vs $385 per month, with Zhongli City 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 Zhongli City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zhongli City wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Taichung. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Zhongli City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Zhongli City earns 65% less. 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: $385 in Taichung versus $435 in Zhongli City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Zhongli City – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $30.00 in Taichung. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,203 per month in Taichung versus $1,058 in Zhongli City – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,058 in Zhongli City versus $1,203 in Taichung, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Zhongli City but tight or insufficient in Taichung. The gap between the two cities makes Zhongli City 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 Zhongli City 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 Zhongli City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Taichung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.