Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and Chang-hua Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and Chang-hua

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,497 per month in Taipei vs $887 in Chang-hua, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,333 per month in Taipei vs $1,367 in Chang-hua, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,168 per month in Taipei vs $1,848 in Chang-hua, rent included.

Taipei costs about 69% more than Chang-hua, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Taipei sits 12% above the global median, while Chang-hua is 34% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.62 NT$214

$3.77 NT$122

75.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.86 NT$1,288

$26.71 NT$863

49.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 NT$181

$5.84 NT$189

-4.28%

Cappuccino

$3.93 NT$127

$1.86 NT$60.2

111.29%

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

$1.16 NT$37.64

$0.91 NT$29.43

27.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 NT$24.22

$0.43 NT$13.86

74.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 NT$111

$1.44 NT$46.57

139.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 NT$112

$2.08 NT$67.3

65.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.16 NT$102

$2.76 NT$89.1

14.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 NT$60.9

$1.88 NT$60.7

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 NT$98.0

$3.13 NT$101

-3.19%

Eggs

$2.85 NT$92.0

$2.79 NT$90.2

2.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.35 NT$658

$17.71 NT$572

14.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 NT$327

$7.81 NT$252

29.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.00 NT$646

$19.98 NT$646

0.10%

Apples (1kg)

$5.03 NT$163

$5.04 NT$163

-0.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 NT$92.7

$2.97 NT$95.9

-3.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 NT$93.8

$2.77 NT$89.5

4.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 NT$135

$3.10 NT$100

34.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 NT$92.5

$2.65 NT$85.5

7.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 NT$72.5

$2.17 NT$70.3

3.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 NT$62.9

$1.98 NT$63.9

-1.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 NT$42.46

$0.81 NT$26.13

61.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 NT$134

$4.15 NT$134

-0.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.82 NT$447

$9.07 NT$293

52.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 NT$58.3

$1.55 NT$50.0

16.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 NT$76.5

$2.35 NT$76.1

0.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 NT$27.79

$1.72 NT$55.6

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.26 NT$1,333

$36.55 NT$1,181

12.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 NT$95.1

$2.89 NT$93.5

1.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 NT$23.92

$0.72 NT$23.42

2.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.32 NT$333

$10.29 NT$333

0.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 NT$33.47

$1.08 NT$34.76

-3.70%

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

$38.7K NT$1.2M

$37.3K NT$1.2M

3.54%

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

$27.6K NT$892.5K

$26.9K NT$868.8K

2.72%

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

$86.2 NT$2,784

$34.24 NT$1,106

151.66%

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

$18.64 NT$602

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.48 NT$791

$19.98 NT$645

22.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.54 NT$1,342

$25.57 NT$826

62.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.88 NT$448

$15.29 NT$494

-9.22%

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 NT$378

$10.36 NT$335

13.03%

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

$643 NT$20.8K

$636 NT$20.6K

1.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K NT$609.1K

$8,532 NT$275.7K

120.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 NT$1,923

$53.7 NT$1,736

10.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.40 NT$1,079

$16.77 NT$542

99.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 NT$3,002

$84.5 NT$2,729

9.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 NT$3,920

$54.8 NT$1,772

121.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$795 NT$25.7K

$310 NT$10.0K

156.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$539 NT$17.4K

$184 NT$5,932

193.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 NT$53.3K

$533 NT$17.2K

209.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,082 NT$34.9K

$187 NT$6,039

478.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.8K NT$414.7K

$2,945 NT$95.2K

335.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,600 NT$245.6K

$1,608 NT$51.9K

372.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,716 NT$55.4K

$2,032 NT$65.7K

-15.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.19

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

Last update for Taipei: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chang-hua: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $795 in Taipei versus $310 in Chang-hua. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 18% higher in Chang-hua, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Taipei versus $27.00 in Chang-hua. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $398 vs $352 – making Chang-hua the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Taipei vs Chang-hua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taipei costs about 69% more than Chang-hua, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,246 per month in Taipei and $1,330 in Chang-hua. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chang-hua, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,497 in Taipei and $887 in Chang-hua. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 13% less in Chang-hua. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chang-hua, where all-in costs run around $887, than in Taipei at $1,497. In Chang-hua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Taipei it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chang-hua – 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 Chang-hua. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Taipei makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.