Cost of Living Comparison Between Tainan and Incheon Cost of Living Comparison Between Tainan and Incheon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,074 per month in Tainan vs $1,375 in Incheon, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,873 per month in Tainan vs $2,148 in Incheon, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,672 per month in Tainan vs $2,922 in Incheon, rent included.

Tainan is about 22% cheaper than Incheon, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Tainan sits 20% below the global median, while Incheon is 3% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.12 NT$193

$6.79 ₩10.3K

-9.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.69 NT$840

$36.29 ₩55.0K

-26.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.11 NT$161

$6.43 ₩9,744

-20.53%

Cappuccino

$3.50 NT$110

$3.59 ₩5,443

-2.51%

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

$1.12 NT$35.24

$1.37 ₩2,070

-18.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 NT$24.74

$0.66 ₩995

19.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.30 NT$104

$3.15 ₩4,775

4.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 NT$105

$4.39 ₩6,651

-23.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.15 NT$99.2

$2.24 ₩3,396

40.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.92 NT$60.4

$2.98 ₩4,512

-35.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 NT$95.0

$2.74 ₩4,154

10.22%

Eggs

$2.85 NT$89.7

$3.17 ₩4,803

-10.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.81 NT$624

$14.06 ₩21.3K

40.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.98 NT$314

$6.90 ₩10.5K

44.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.31 NT$639

$13.46 ₩20.4K

50.89%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 NT$136

$7.32 ₩11.1K

-40.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 NT$88.7

$2.89 ₩4,377

-2.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 NT$90.3

$5.60 ₩8,484

-48.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.27 NT$134

$6.44 ₩9,763

-33.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 NT$90.3

$3.38 ₩5,122

-15.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 NT$69.5

$1.98 ₩2,998

11.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 NT$52.8

$1.98 ₩3,001

-15.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 NT$33.27

$1.27 ₩1,928

-16.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 NT$131

$3.25 ₩4,924

28.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.93 NT$438

$16.66 ₩25.2K

-16.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 NT$54.8

$1.98 ₩3,004

-12.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 NT$75.6

$1.82 ₩2,751

31.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 NT$19.54

$1.06 ₩1,600

-41.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.71 NT$684

$25.46 ₩38.6K

-14.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 NT$88.9

$3.45 ₩5,231

-17.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 NT$24.61

$0.52 ₩793

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.36 NT$326

$8.61 ₩13.1K

20.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 NT$32.05

$1.24 ₩1,882

-17.74%

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

$37.7K NT$1.2M

$27.7K ₩42.0M

36.17%

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

$26.5K NT$835.4K

$13.8K ₩21.0M

91.95%

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

$86.7 NT$2,729

$161 ₩244.2K

-46.20%

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

$18.57 NT$585

$34.95 ₩53.0K

-46.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.99 NT$724

$20.75 ₩31.4K

10.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.82 NT$1,253

$32.81 ₩49.7K

21.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.42 NT$486

$37.34 ₩56.6K

-58.70%

Cinema Ticket

$11.93 NT$376

$11.20 ₩17.0K

6.52%

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

$269 NT$8,471

$263 ₩399.0K

2.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,829 NT$215.0K

$11.1K ₩16.9M

-38.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 NT$1,872

$58.0 ₩87.9K

2.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.34 NT$955

$48.48 ₩73.5K

-37.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 NT$2,902

$66.2 ₩100.2K

39.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 NT$3,845

$103 ₩156.5K

18.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$328 NT$10.3K

$669 ₩1.0M

-50.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$195 NT$6,152

$392 ₩593.5K

-50.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$684 NT$21.5K

$1,361 ₩2.1M

-49.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 NT$22.4K

$784 ₩1.2M

-9.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,183 NT$100.2K

$6,099 ₩9.2M

-47.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,153 NT$99.3K

$4,974 ₩7.5M

-36.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,368 NT$43.0K

$2,186 ₩3.3M

-37.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.83

4.1

-55.37%

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

Last update for Tainan: May 31, 2026

Last update for Incheon: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $328 in Tainan versus $669 in Incheon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 60% higher in Incheon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Tainan versus $36.00 in Incheon. Groceries tell a different story – $390 in Tainan vs $386 in Incheon – so Incheon wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Tainan vs Incheon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Incheon is pricier by about 28%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,611 per month in Tainan and $2,062 in Incheon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tainan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Tainan and $36.00 in Incheon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,074 in Tainan and $1,375 in Incheon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tainan, where all-in costs run around $1,074, than in Incheon at $1,375. In Tainan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Incheon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tainan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Tainan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Incheon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.