Cost of Living Comparison Between Tainan and Taichung Cost of Living Comparison Between Tainan and Taichung

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,074 in Tainan versus $1,175 in Taichung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,873 in Tainan versus $1,977 in Taichung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,672 in Tainan versus $2,779 in Taichung.

Living in Tainan costs roughly 9% less than in Taichung, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tainan 20% lower, Taichung 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.12 NT$193

$5.17 NT$163

18.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.69 NT$841

$30.14 NT$950

-11.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.11 NT$161

$5.48 NT$173

-6.75%

Cappuccino

$3.50 NT$110

$3.03 NT$95.6

15.51%

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

$1.12 NT$35.27

$1.16 NT$36.65

-3.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 NT$24.77

$0.86 NT$27.04

-8.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.30 NT$104

$2.19 NT$68.9

50.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 NT$105

$2.93 NT$92.5

14.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.15 NT$99.3

$3.86 NT$122

-18.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.92 NT$60.4

$1.74 NT$54.9

10.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 NT$95.0

$2.82 NT$88.8

7.09%

Eggs

$2.85 NT$89.7

$3.27 NT$103

-12.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.81 NT$624

$31.67 NT$998

-37.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.98 NT$315

$8.26 NT$260

20.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.31 NT$640

$16.07 NT$506

26.38%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 NT$137

$4.64 NT$146

-6.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 NT$88.8

$1.76 NT$55.6

60.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 NT$90.3

$2.26 NT$71.1

26.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.27 NT$135

$2.97 NT$93.7

43.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 NT$90.4

$1.27 NT$40.16

125.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 NT$69.5

$1.97 NT$62.1

12.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 NT$52.8

$2.36 NT$74.4

-28.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 NT$33.30

$1.30 NT$40.98

-18.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 NT$131

$3.96 NT$125

5.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.93 NT$439

$16.23 NT$511

-14.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 NT$54.8

$1.71 NT$53.8

1.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 NT$75.7

$2.66 NT$83.8

-9.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 NT$19.56

$0.94 NT$29.59

-34.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.71 NT$684

$28.86 NT$909

-24.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 NT$89.0

$2.92 NT$92.2

-3.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 NT$24.63

$1.24 NT$39.01

-37.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.36 NT$326

$10.25 NT$323

1.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 NT$32.08

$1.05 NT$33.05

-2.86%

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

$37.7K NT$1.2M

$34.5K NT$1.1M

9.14%

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

$26.5K NT$836.1K

$26.0K NT$817.6K

2.26%

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

$86.7 NT$2,732

$96.6 NT$3,045

-10.29%

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

$18.57 NT$585

$24.51 NT$772

-24.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.99 NT$724

$22.07 NT$695

4.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.82 NT$1,254

$36.44 NT$1,148

9.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.42 NT$486

$10.09 NT$318

52.82%

Cinema Ticket

$11.93 NT$376

$10.52 NT$332

13.40%

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

$269 NT$8,479

$355 NT$11.2K

-24.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,829 NT$215.1K

$20.9K NT$657.4K

-67.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 NT$1,874

$84.1 NT$2,648

-29.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.34 NT$956

$34.06 NT$1,073

-10.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 NT$2,905

$96.9 NT$3,052

-4.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 NT$3,848

$130 NT$4,096

-6.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$328 NT$10.3K

$379 NT$11.9K

-13.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$195 NT$6,157

$292 NT$9,192

-33.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$684 NT$21.5K

$1,056 NT$33.3K

-35.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 NT$22.4K

$731 NT$23.0K

-2.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,183 NT$100.3K

$7,297 NT$229.9K

-56.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,153 NT$99.3K

$5,260 NT$165.7K

-40.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,368 NT$43.1K

$1,420 NT$44.7K

-3.68%

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 Taichung: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $328 in Tainan and $379 in Taichung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taichung pays 4% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $27.00 in Tainan vs $30.00 in Taichung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $390 vs $402 per month, with Tainan 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

Tainan vs Taichung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tainan wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Taichung. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tainan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Taichung earns 4% 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: $328 in Tainan versus $379 in Taichung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Tainan – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $30.00 in Taichung. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,074 per month in Tainan versus $1,175 in Taichung – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,074 in Tainan versus $1,175 in Taichung, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tainan but tight or insufficient in Taichung. The gap between the two cities makes Tainan 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, Tainan and Taichung 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 Tainan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Taichung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.