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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,116 in Taichung versus $1,059 in Zhubei City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,868 in Taichung versus $1,837 in Zhubei City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,619 in Taichung versus $2,616 in Zhubei City.

Living in Taichung is roughly 5% more expensive than in Zhubei City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Taichung 18% lower, Zhubei City 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.69 NT$149

$4.70 NT$149

-0.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.50 NT$1,001

$27.90 NT$886

12.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.71 NT$150

$5.16 NT$164

-8.72%

Cappuccino

$2.84 NT$90.2

$3.06 NT$97.2

-7.19%

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

$0.98 NT$31.19

$0.95 NT$30.21

3.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 NT$24.61

$0.56 NT$17.94

37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 NT$49.87

$1.88 NT$59.6

-16.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 NT$88.6

$2.56 NT$81.3

8.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.31 NT$105

$2.96 NT$93.9

11.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 NT$54.7

$1.83 NT$58.1

-6.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 NT$84.0

$4.63 NT$147

-42.98%

Eggs

$2.63 NT$83.4

$2.87 NT$91.1

-8.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.72 NT$912

$25.09 NT$797

14.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 NT$245

$8.74 NT$278

-11.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.71 NT$531

$25.46 NT$809

-34.37%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 NT$135

$4.11 NT$131

3.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 NT$60.9

$2.55 NT$80.9

-24.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 NT$59.1

$2.78 NT$88.4

-33.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 NT$70.1

$3.41 NT$108

-35.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 NT$39.76

$3.05 NT$96.8

-59.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 NT$62.5

$2.05 NT$65.1

-3.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 NT$78.0

$2.01 NT$63.9

22.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 NT$29.09

$1.35 NT$42.84

-31.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.75 NT$119

$4.00 NT$127

-6.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.82 NT$503

$9.29 NT$295

70.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 NT$52.2

$1.42 NT$45.11

15.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 NT$81.3

$2.02 NT$64.1

26.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 NT$23.19

$0.60 NT$19.05

21.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.76 NT$1,009

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 NT$85.5

$3.11 NT$98.7

-13.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 NT$31.13

$0.65 NT$20.50

50.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.64 NT$306

$9.36 NT$297

2.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 NT$33.52

$1.03 NT$32.71

2.91%

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

$33.7K NT$1.1M

-0.11%

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

$23.2K NT$737.3K

$25.3K NT$803.4K

-8.22%

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

$108 NT$3,421

$103 NT$3,261

4.92%

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

$14.98 NT$476

$19.77 NT$628

-24.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.66 NT$688

$23.52 NT$747

-7.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.20 NT$1,023

$31.76 NT$1,009

1.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.29 NT$422

Cinema Ticket

$9.69 NT$308

$10.06 NT$320

-3.68%

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

$343 NT$10.9K

$663 NT$21.1K

-48.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K NT$544.9K

$16.7K NT$531.6K

2.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.9 NT$2,188

$58.3 NT$1,852

18.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.40 NT$1,156

$32.07 NT$1,019

13.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.3 NT$2,644

$94.1 NT$2,988

-11.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 NT$3,569

$98.2 NT$3,120

14.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 NT$12.9K

$500 NT$15.9K

-19.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 NT$8,899

$216 NT$6,867

29.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 NT$37.8K

$1,124 NT$35.7K

5.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$763 NT$24.2K

$785 NT$24.9K

-2.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,101 NT$225.5K

$16.4K NT$520.4K

-56.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,181 NT$164.6K

$9,587 NT$304.5K

-45.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,407 NT$44.7K

$2,410 NT$76.6K

-41.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.27

2.4

-5.42%

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

Last update for Taichung: September 13, 2026

Last update for Zhubei City: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $405 in Taichung and $500 in Zhubei City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zhubei City pays 71% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Taichung vs $28.00 in Zhubei City. Groceries flip the comparison at $371 vs $404, 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 Zhubei City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zhubei City wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Taichung. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Zhubei City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 71% lower in Zhubei 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: $405 in Taichung versus $500 in Zhubei City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $343 in Taichung versus $663 in Zhubei City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Zhubei City – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $32.00 in Taichung. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,059 in Zhubei City versus $1,116 in Taichung, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Zhubei City but tight or insufficient in Taichung. The gap between the two cities makes Zhubei 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 Zhubei 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 Zhubei City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Taichung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.