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: $1,182 in Taichung versus $1,063 in Zhongli City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,940 in Taichung versus $1,790 in Zhongli City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,698 in Taichung versus $2,517 in Zhongli City.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Taichung 12% lower, Zhongli City 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.98 NT$158

$5.21 NT$165

-4.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.88 NT$976

$20.60 NT$651

49.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.39 NT$171

$4.85 NT$153

11.13%

Cappuccino

$3.04 NT$96.2

$2.50 NT$78.9

21.60%

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

$1.10 NT$34.75

$0.79 NT$24.87

39.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 NT$25.19

$0.57 NT$17.88

40.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 NT$68.5

$1.42 NT$44.79

52.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 NT$89.2

$1.50 NT$47.43

88.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.77 NT$119

$3.37 NT$107

11.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 NT$55.3

$1.71 NT$54.2

2.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.72 NT$86.1

$2.78 NT$87.9

-2.16%

Eggs

$3.25 NT$103

$2.62 NT$82.8

24.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.55 NT$997

$30.86 NT$975

2.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.90 NT$250

$8.07 NT$255

-2.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.51 NT$490

$15.75 NT$498

-1.52%

Apples (1kg)

$4.50 NT$142

$4.68 NT$148

-3.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 NT$56.7

$1.76 NT$55.7

1.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 NT$69.2

$2.29 NT$72.3

-4.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.95 NT$93.2

$3.10 NT$97.9

-4.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 NT$42.24

$1.34 NT$42.45

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 NT$59.2

$1.91 NT$60.3

-2.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.37 NT$75.0

$2.34 NT$74.0

1.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 NT$39.79

$1.30 NT$40.99

-3.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 NT$131

$4.19 NT$132

-1.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.02 NT$507

$15.60 NT$493

2.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 NT$53.8

$1.67 NT$52.7

1.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 NT$83.2

$2.35 NT$74.3

11.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 NT$27.78

$0.58 NT$18.42

51.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.52 NT$902

$40.20 NT$1,271

-29.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.82 NT$89.0

$2.84 NT$89.8

-0.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 NT$37.55

$0.78 NT$24.71

52.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.27 NT$325

$10.34 NT$327

-0.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 NT$33.23

$0.96 NT$30.35

9.38%

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

$33.3K NT$1.1M

$34.0K NT$1.1M

-1.92%

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

$26.4K NT$834.0K

$26.3K NT$831.3K

0.33%

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

$95.6 NT$3,022

$97.5 NT$3,082

-1.96%

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

$25.01 NT$791

$13.46 NT$425

85.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.47 NT$679

$10.31 NT$326

108.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.63 NT$1,126

$37.66 NT$1,190

-5.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.26 NT$324

$15.34 NT$485

-33.12%

Cinema Ticket

$10.63 NT$336

$9.28 NT$293

14.55%

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

$355 NT$11.2K

-0.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.0K NT$665.4K

$20.8K NT$658.9K

0.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.0 NT$2,625

$61.2 NT$1,933

35.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.55 NT$1,092

$20.02 NT$633

72.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 NT$2,966

$78.7 NT$2,487

19.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 NT$4,116

$67.2 NT$2,124

93.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 NT$12.0K

$421 NT$13.3K

-9.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 NT$8,999

$265 NT$8,368

7.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 NT$32.5K

$1,024 NT$32.4K

0.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 NT$22.8K

$757 NT$23.9K

-4.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,118 NT$225.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,250 NT$166.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,386 NT$43.8K

$2,330 NT$73.7K

-40.53%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Zhongli City: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $381 in Taichung and $421 in Zhongli City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zhongli City pays 68% 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 $21.00 in Zhongli City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $388 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, Zhongli City earns 68% 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: $381 in Taichung versus $421 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 $21.00 versus $31.00 in Taichung. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,182 per month in Taichung versus $1,063 in Zhongli City – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,063 in Zhongli City versus $1,182 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.