Cost of Living Comparison Between Tainan and Kinmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Tainan and Kinmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,074 per month in Tainan vs $1,124 in Kinmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,873 per month in Tainan vs $1,864 in Kinmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,672 per month in Tainan vs $2,603 in Kinmen, rent included.

Tainan is about 4% cheaper than Kinmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Tainan and Kinmen are more affordable than the global median – Tainan 20% lower, Kinmen 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.12 NT$193

$5.23 NT$165

17.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.69 NT$841

$30.74 NT$968

-13.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.11 NT$161

$5.46 NT$172

-6.41%

Cappuccino

$3.50 NT$110

$2.91 NT$91.5

20.27%

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

$1.12 NT$35.27

$1.09 NT$34.48

2.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 NT$24.77

$0.77 NT$24.35

2.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.30 NT$104

$1.89 NT$59.5

74.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 NT$105

$2.64 NT$83.2

26.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.15 NT$99.3

$3.26 NT$103

-3.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.92 NT$60.4

$1.90 NT$60.0

1.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 NT$95.0

$2.79 NT$88.0

8.24%

Eggs

$2.85 NT$89.7

$2.84 NT$89.3

0.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.81 NT$624

$18.85 NT$594

5.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.98 NT$315

$8.00 NT$252

24.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.31 NT$640

$17.25 NT$543

17.74%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 NT$137

$4.58 NT$144

-5.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 NT$88.8

$2.56 NT$80.8

10.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 NT$90.3

$2.67 NT$84.3

7.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.27 NT$135

$3.49 NT$110

22.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 NT$90.4

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 NT$69.5

$2.24 NT$70.5

-1.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 NT$52.8

$1.96 NT$61.7

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 NT$33.30

$1.25 NT$39.52

-15.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 NT$131

$4.19 NT$132

-0.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.93 NT$439

$14.40 NT$454

-3.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 NT$54.8

$1.66 NT$52.1

4.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 NT$75.7

$2.47 NT$77.8

-2.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 NT$19.56

$0.89 NT$27.92

-30.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.71 NT$684

$39.20 NT$1,235

-44.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 NT$89.0

$2.94 NT$92.6

-3.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 NT$24.63

$0.77 NT$24.38

1.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.36 NT$326

$10.28 NT$324

0.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 NT$32.08

$1.06 NT$33.52

-3.77%

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

$37.7K NT$1.2M

$35.9K NT$1.1M

5.13%

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

$26.5K NT$836.1K

$25.7K NT$808.8K

3.38%

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

$86.7 NT$2,732

$86.4 NT$2,721

0.38%

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

$18.57 NT$585

$24.55 NT$774

-24.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.99 NT$724

$22.48 NT$708

2.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.82 NT$1,254

$36.74 NT$1,157

8.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.42 NT$486

$15.18 NT$478

1.58%

Cinema Ticket

$11.93 NT$376

$10.06 NT$317

18.59%

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

$269 NT$8,479

$419 NT$13.2K

-35.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,829 NT$215.1K

$15.3K NT$483.0K

-55.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 NT$1,874

$84.1 NT$2,649

-29.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.34 NT$956

$34.75 NT$1,095

-12.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 NT$2,905

$91.0 NT$2,867

1.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 NT$3,848

$103 NT$3,247

18.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$328 NT$10.3K

$440 NT$13.9K

-25.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$195 NT$6,157

$286 NT$9,002

-31.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$684 NT$21.5K

$1,034 NT$32.6K

-33.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 NT$22.4K

$740 NT$23.3K

-3.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,183 NT$100.3K

$7,661 NT$241.4K

-58.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,153 NT$99.3K

$5,295 NT$166.8K

-40.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,368 NT$43.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.83

2.18

-16.06%

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

Last update for Tainan: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kinmen: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $328 in Tainan versus $440 in Kinmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Tainan versus $31.00 in Kinmen. Groceries tell a different story – $390 in Tainan vs $367 in Kinmen – so Kinmen 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 Kinmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Kinmen is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,686 in Kinmen. 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.

Kindergarten costs $269 per month in Tainan and $419 in Kinmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Kinmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tainan, where all-in costs run around $1,074, than in Kinmen at $1,124. In Tainan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kinmen 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, Kinmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.