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: $1,181 in Taichung versus $1,069 in Zhongli City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,953 in Taichung versus $1,796 in Zhongli City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,725 in Taichung versus $2,523 in Zhongli City.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Taichung 11% lower, Zhongli City 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.06 NT$163

$5.19 NT$168

-2.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.00 NT$1,001

$20.11 NT$649

54.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.35 NT$173

$4.81 NT$155

11.23%

Cappuccino

$2.89 NT$93.4

$2.50 NT$80.9

15.60%

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

$1.11 NT$35.71

$0.77 NT$24.99

44.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 NT$26.09

$0.60 NT$19.42

35.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 NT$69.3

$1.43 NT$46.15

49.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 NT$90.8

$1.56 NT$50.5

80.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.71 NT$120

$3.25 NT$105

14.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 NT$57.2

$1.69 NT$54.6

4.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.76 NT$89.2

$2.75 NT$88.8

0.36%

Eggs

$3.15 NT$102

$2.68 NT$86.7

17.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.26 NT$1,009

$30.83 NT$995

1.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.16 NT$263

$8.31 NT$268

-1.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.93 NT$514

$15.56 NT$503

2.38%

Apples (1kg)

$4.52 NT$146

$4.72 NT$152

-4.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 NT$58.7

$1.81 NT$58.5

0.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 NT$70.7

$2.17 NT$70.2

0.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.06 NT$98.8

$2.97 NT$95.8

3.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 NT$43.10

$1.35 NT$43.44

-1.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 NT$61.0

$1.98 NT$63.8

-4.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 NT$75.9

$2.31 NT$74.7

1.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 NT$42.20

$1.30 NT$42.02

0.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 NT$134

$4.08 NT$132

1.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.62 NT$505

$15.30 NT$494

2.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 NT$55.9

$1.72 NT$55.5

0.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 NT$85.2

$2.42 NT$78.1

9.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 NT$29.76

$0.63 NT$20.28

46.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.99 NT$936

$40.90 NT$1,321

-29.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 NT$92.2

$2.82 NT$91.0

1.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 NT$39.59

$0.74 NT$23.94

66.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.97 NT$322

$10.25 NT$331

-2.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 NT$33.83

$0.99 NT$31.91

6.06%

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

$33.6K NT$1.1M

$33.5K NT$1.1M

0.10%

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

$26.0K NT$839.2K

$26.0K NT$839.1K

0.02%

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

$95.5 NT$3,083

$97.7 NT$3,156

-2.31%

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

$24.72 NT$798

$13.76 NT$444

79.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.38 NT$690

$10.15 NT$328

110.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.64 NT$1,151

$37.54 NT$1,212

-5.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.04 NT$324

$15.24 NT$492

-34.12%

Cinema Ticket

$10.50 NT$339

$9.51 NT$307

10.41%

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

$362 NT$11.7K

$365 NT$11.8K

-0.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.2K NT$683.1K

$21.0K NT$679.2K

0.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.9 NT$2,741

$61.4 NT$1,982

38.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.21 NT$1,105

$20.46 NT$661

67.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.9 NT$3,031

$79.2 NT$2,557

18.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 NT$4,137

$67.1 NT$2,166

91.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$376 NT$12.2K

$426 NT$13.8K

-11.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 NT$9,275

$264 NT$8,541

8.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,054 NT$34.0K

$1,051 NT$33.9K

0.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 NT$23.1K

$734 NT$23.7K

-2.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,933 NT$223.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,135 NT$165.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,400 NT$45.2K

$2,282 NT$73.7K

-38.67%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Zhongli City: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $376 in Taichung and $426 in Zhongli City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zhongli City pays 63% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $31.00 in Taichung vs $20.00 in Zhongli City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $396 vs $387 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 11% 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, salaries run 63% lower in Zhongli City. 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: $376 in Taichung versus $426 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 $31.00 in Taichung. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,181 per month in Taichung versus $1,069 in Zhongli City – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,069 in Zhongli City versus $1,181 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 11% less than in Taichung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.