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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,077 per month in Tainan vs $1,124 in Kinmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,884 per month in Tainan vs $1,876 in Kinmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,690 per month in Tainan vs $2,629 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 19% lower, Kinmen 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.08 NT$197

$5.07 NT$164

19.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.21 NT$879

$30.83 NT$996

-11.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.94 NT$160

$5.54 NT$179

-10.83%

Cappuccino

$3.48 NT$113

$2.92 NT$94.4

19.18%

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

$1.13 NT$36.39

$1.04 NT$33.62

8.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 NT$24.19

$0.72 NT$23.27

4.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 NT$109

$1.84 NT$59.3

82.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 NT$112

$2.74 NT$88.6

25.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.21 NT$104

$3.31 NT$107

-3.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 NT$60.6

$1.95 NT$62.9

-3.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.87 NT$92.6

$2.89 NT$93.5

-0.69%

Eggs

$2.78 NT$89.8

$2.85 NT$92.1

-2.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.96 NT$645

$18.49 NT$598

7.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 NT$327

$8.10 NT$262

24.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.25 NT$654

$17.18 NT$555

17.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 NT$139

$4.67 NT$151

-7.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.93 NT$94.8

$2.53 NT$81.7

15.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 NT$93.7

$2.64 NT$85.4

9.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.16 NT$134

$3.45 NT$111

20.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 NT$94.4

$2.77 NT$89.5

5.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 NT$73.7

$2.17 NT$70.2

5.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 NT$54.9

$2.06 NT$66.6

-17.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 NT$34.55

$1.20 NT$38.62

-10.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.05 NT$131

Wine (Bottle)

$13.52 NT$437

$13.99 NT$452

-3.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 NT$56.7

$1.67 NT$53.8

4.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 NT$76.0

$2.56 NT$82.7

-8.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 NT$18.90

$0.87 NT$28.02

-32.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.97 NT$710

$39.33 NT$1,271

-44.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 NT$93.6

$2.96 NT$95.6

-2.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 NT$25.57

$0.80 NT$25.78

-1.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.32 NT$334

$10.22 NT$330

0.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 NT$32.69

$1.07 NT$34.61

-5.61%

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

$38.6K NT$1.2M

$35.3K NT$1.1M

9.20%

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

$26.4K NT$854.6K

$26.5K NT$857.3K

-0.31%

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

$84.6 NT$2,734

$86.1 NT$2,781

-1.70%

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

$18.51 NT$598

$24.37 NT$787

-24.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.10 NT$746

$22.59 NT$730

2.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.10 NT$1,296

$36.68 NT$1,185

9.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.06 NT$487

$14.95 NT$483

0.74%

Cinema Ticket

$11.73 NT$379

$10.06 NT$325

16.60%

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

$273 NT$8,820

$424 NT$13.7K

-35.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,899 NT$222.9K

$15.8K NT$509.2K

-56.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 NT$1,860

$81.6 NT$2,636

-29.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.71 NT$992

$34.43 NT$1,113

-10.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 NT$2,993

$91.3 NT$2,948

1.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 NT$3,922

$102 NT$3,302

18.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$331 NT$10.7K

$424 NT$13.7K

-21.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 NT$6,264

$293 NT$9,474

-33.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 NT$22.5K

$1,042 NT$33.7K

-33.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$731 NT$23.6K

$734 NT$23.7K

-0.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,050 NT$98.6K

$6,302 NT$203.6K

-51.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,037 NT$98.1K

$4,564 NT$147.5K

-33.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,352 NT$43.7K

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Kinmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $331 in Tainan versus $424 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 $366 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 4%, 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 $1,616 per month in Tainan and $1,685 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 $273 per month in Tainan and $424 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 $1,077, 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.