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: $1,197 in Tainan versus $1,148 in Taichung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,035 in Tainan versus $1,904 in Taichung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,873 in Tainan versus $2,659 in Taichung.

Living in Tainan is roughly 4% more expensive than in Taichung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tainan 13% lower, Taichung 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.85 NT$154

$4.83 NT$153

0.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.87 NT$789

$32.11 NT$1,019

-22.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 NT$149

$4.78 NT$152

-1.67%

Cappuccino

$3.33 NT$106

$2.74 NT$87.1

21.53%

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

$1.36 NT$43.21

$0.99 NT$31.36

37.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 NT$28.83

$0.76 NT$24.16

19.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 NT$99.8

$1.60 NT$50.7

96.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 NT$109

$2.85 NT$90.6

20.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.06 NT$97.2

$3.17 NT$101

-3.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 NT$56.5

$1.76 NT$56.0

1.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.96 NT$94.0

$2.67 NT$84.6

10.86%

Eggs

$3.07 NT$97.4

$2.50 NT$79.4

22.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.47 NT$713

$28.55 NT$906

-21.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.28 NT$421

$7.72 NT$245

72.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.40 NT$679

$16.58 NT$526

29.07%

Apples (1kg)

$5.44 NT$173

$4.19 NT$133

29.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 NT$91.5

$1.96 NT$62.3

47.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.88 NT$155

$1.85 NT$58.8

163.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.20 NT$229

$2.24 NT$71.0

221.43%

Potato (1kg)

$4.66 NT$148

$1.24 NT$39.48

275.81%

Onion (1kg)

$4.40 NT$139

$1.92 NT$60.9

129.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 NT$91.7

$2.41 NT$76.4

19.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 NT$45.64

$0.90 NT$28.40

60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.07 NT$129

$3.85 NT$122

5.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 NT$378

$16.07 NT$510

-25.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 NT$64.5

$1.62 NT$51.4

25.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 NT$71.2

$2.48 NT$78.7

-9.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 NT$20.70

$0.74 NT$23.43

-12.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.59 NT$1,066

$31.80 NT$1,009

5.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 NT$87.5

$2.62 NT$83.1

5.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 NT$30.87

$0.93 NT$29.63

4.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.51 NT$175

$9.67 NT$307

-43.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 NT$32.35

$1.05 NT$33.47

-2.86%

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

$36.9K NT$1.2M

$33.3K NT$1.1M

10.74%

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

$25.0K NT$793.7K

$23.3K NT$739.5K

7.33%

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

$90.2 NT$2,860

$110 NT$3,480

-17.80%

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

$17.57 NT$557

$15.30 NT$485

14.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.89 NT$695

$20.93 NT$664

4.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.00 NT$1,459

$32.98 NT$1,046

39.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.13 NT$417

Cinema Ticket

$11.03 NT$350

$10.01 NT$318

10.19%

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

$425 NT$13.5K

$336 NT$10.7K

26.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,560 NT$176.4K

$16.8K NT$534.0K

-66.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.4 NT$2,993

$67.9 NT$2,155

38.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.33 NT$1,470

$36.17 NT$1,147

28.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 NT$3,780

$85.6 NT$2,715

39.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 NT$3,920

$109 NT$3,465

13.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$311 NT$9,853

$401 NT$12.7K

-22.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 NT$6,150

$283 NT$8,979

-31.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$843 NT$26.8K

$1,237 NT$39.2K

-31.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 NT$22.9K

$747 NT$23.7K

-3.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,189 NT$132.9K

$7,108 NT$225.5K

-41.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 NT$99.3K

$5,222 NT$165.7K

-40.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,366 NT$43.3K

$1,393 NT$44.2K

-1.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

2.27

10.13%

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

Last update for Tainan: August 30, 2026

Last update for Taichung: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $311 in Tainan and $401 in Taichung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taichung pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $25.00 in Tainan vs $32.00 in Taichung. Groceries flip the comparison at $461 vs $369, 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

Tainan vs Taichung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taichung wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Tainan. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Taichung the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 2% lower in Taichung. 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: $311 in Tainan versus $401 in Taichung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Taichung – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $25.00 in Tainan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,197 per month in Tainan versus $1,148 in Taichung – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,148 in Taichung versus $1,197 in Tainan, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Taichung but tight or insufficient in Tainan. The gap between the two cities makes Taichung 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 Taichung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Tainan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.