Cost of Living Comparison Between Tainan and Taipei Cost of Living Comparison Between Tainan and Taipei

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,077 in Tainan versus $1,497 in Taipei.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,884 in Tainan versus $2,333 in Taipei.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,690 in Tainan versus $3,168 in Taipei.

Living in Tainan costs roughly 28% less than in Taipei, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tainan is 19% below, Taipei is 12% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.08 NT$197

$6.62 NT$214

-8.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.21 NT$881

$39.86 NT$1,290

-31.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.94 NT$160

$5.59 NT$181

-11.63%

Cappuccino

$3.48 NT$113

$3.93 NT$127

-11.45%

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

$1.13 NT$36.45

$1.16 NT$37.70

-2.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 NT$24.23

$0.75 NT$24.26

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 NT$109

$3.45 NT$112

-2.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 NT$112

Milk (1 liter)

$3.21 NT$104

$3.16 NT$102

1.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 NT$60.7

$1.88 NT$61.0

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.87 NT$92.8

$3.03 NT$98.2

-5.28%

Eggs

$2.78 NT$89.9

$2.85 NT$92.2

-2.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.96 NT$646

$20.35 NT$659

-1.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 NT$327

$10.12 NT$327

-0.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.25 NT$655

$20.00 NT$647

1.25%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 NT$139

$5.03 NT$163

-14.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.93 NT$95.0

$2.87 NT$92.8

2.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 NT$93.9

$2.90 NT$94.0

Tomato (1kg)

$4.16 NT$135

$4.18 NT$135

-0.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 NT$94.5

$2.86 NT$92.6

2.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 NT$73.8

$2.24 NT$72.6

1.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 NT$55.0

$1.95 NT$63.0

-12.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 NT$34.60

$1.31 NT$42.53

-18.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.05 NT$131

$4.14 NT$134

-2.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.52 NT$438

$13.82 NT$447

-2.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 NT$56.8

$1.80 NT$58.4

-2.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 NT$76.1

$2.37 NT$76.6

-0.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 NT$18.94

$0.86 NT$27.84

-31.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.97 NT$711

$41.26 NT$1,335

-46.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 NT$93.7

$2.94 NT$95.2

-1.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 NT$25.61

$0.74 NT$23.96

6.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.32 NT$334

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 NT$32.74

$1.04 NT$33.53

-2.88%

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

$38.6K NT$1.2M

$38.7K NT$1.3M

-0.17%

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

$26.4K NT$856.0K

$27.6K NT$894.0K

-4.24%

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

$84.6 NT$2,738

$86.2 NT$2,789

-1.82%

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

$18.51 NT$599

$18.64 NT$603

-0.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.10 NT$748

$24.48 NT$792

-5.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.10 NT$1,298

$41.54 NT$1,345

-3.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.06 NT$487

$13.88 NT$449

8.50%

Cinema Ticket

$11.73 NT$380

$11.71 NT$379

0.17%

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

$273 NT$8,835

$643 NT$20.8K

-57.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,899 NT$223.3K

$18.8K NT$610.1K

-63.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 NT$1,863

$59.5 NT$1,926

-3.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.71 NT$994

$33.40 NT$1,081

-8.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 NT$2,998

$92.9 NT$3,007

-0.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 NT$3,928

$121 NT$3,926

0.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$331 NT$10.7K

$795 NT$25.7K

-58.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 NT$6,274

$539 NT$17.4K

-64.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 NT$22.5K

$1,651 NT$53.4K

-57.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$731 NT$23.7K

$1,082 NT$35.0K

-32.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,050 NT$98.7K

$12.8K NT$415.4K

-76.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,037 NT$98.3K

$7,600 NT$246.0K

-60.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,352 NT$43.8K

$1,716 NT$55.5K

-21.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.83

2.19

-16.44%

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

Last update for Tainan: July 11, 2026

Last update for Taipei: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $331 in Tainan and $795 in Taipei. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taipei pays 27% 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 $40.00 in Taipei for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $390 vs $398 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 Taipei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tainan and Taipei differ by about 39% in total monthly costs ($1,077 vs $1,497 including rent). Tainan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 27% lower in Taipei. 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: $331 in Tainan versus $795 in Taipei. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Taipei. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Tainan – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $40.00 in Taipei. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,077 in Tainan versus $1,497 in Taipei, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tainan but tight or insufficient in Taipei. 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 Taipei 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 39% less than in Taipei. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.