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 $1,494 per month in Taipei vs $904 in Chang-hua, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,394 per month in Taipei vs $1,361 in Chang-hua, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,295 per month in Taipei vs $1,819 in Chang-hua, rent included.

Taipei costs about 65% more than Chang-hua, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Taipei sits 11% above the global median, while Chang-hua is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.64 NT$209

$3.76 NT$118

76.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.45 NT$1,273

$27.15 NT$855

48.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 NT$182

$5.64 NT$178

2.66%

Cappuccino

$3.75 NT$118

$1.84 NT$57.8

103.80%

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

$1.13 NT$35.42

$0.88 NT$27.63

28.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 NT$22.75

$0.46 NT$14.54

56.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 NT$104

$1.45 NT$45.62

128.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 NT$104

$1.98 NT$62.3

66.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.12 NT$98.2

$2.76 NT$86.9

13.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 NT$62.3

$1.91 NT$60.1

3.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 NT$96.5

$3.17 NT$99.9

-3.15%

Eggs

$2.91 NT$91.7

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.73 NT$621

$17.14 NT$540

15.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.90 NT$311

$7.81 NT$246

26.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.36 NT$641

$20.15 NT$634

1.04%

Apples (1kg)

$5.15 NT$162

$5.22 NT$164

-1.34%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 NT$91.8

$2.89 NT$91.1

1.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 NT$90.8

$2.75 NT$86.7

5.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.26 NT$134

$3.23 NT$102

31.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 NT$88.0

$2.75 NT$86.5

1.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 NT$69.1

$2.19 NT$69.0

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 NT$62.1

$1.87 NT$59.0

5.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 NT$43.72

$0.81 NT$25.47

71.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 NT$126

$3.95 NT$124

1.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.48 NT$456

$9.61 NT$302

50.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 NT$55.1

$1.56 NT$49.26

12.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 NT$76.2

$2.41 NT$75.8

0.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 NT$28.05

$1.72 NT$54.0

-48.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.16 NT$1,296

$37.34 NT$1,175

10.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 NT$91.6

$2.95 NT$93.0

-1.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 NT$24.94

$0.78 NT$24.68

1.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.05 NT$316

$10.29 NT$324

-2.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 NT$33.63

$1.02 NT$32.18

4.90%

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

$38.1K NT$1.2M

$38.6K NT$1.2M

-1.09%

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

$27.9K NT$877.6K

$27.5K NT$864.1K

1.57%

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

$84.9 NT$2,672

$34.13 NT$1,074

148.75%

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

$18.69 NT$588

$18.70 NT$589

-0.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.75 NT$779

$20.26 NT$638

22.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.03 NT$1,323

$26.09 NT$821

61.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.06 NT$443

$15.35 NT$483

-8.40%

Cinema Ticket

$11.84 NT$373

$10.07 NT$317

17.58%

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

$626 NT$19.7K

$643 NT$20.2K

-2.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.6K NT$586.5K

$8,353 NT$262.9K

123.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 NT$1,855

$53.8 NT$1,692

9.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.01 NT$1,071

$16.87 NT$531

101.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 NT$2,995

$84.1 NT$2,647

13.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 NT$3,891

$53.8 NT$1,692

129.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$789 NT$24.8K

$312 NT$9,829

152.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$541 NT$17.0K

$190 NT$5,974

185.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,667 NT$52.5K

$546 NT$17.2K

204.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,113 NT$35.0K

$189 NT$5,953

488.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K NT$430.6K

$3,014 NT$94.9K

353.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,450 NT$266.0K

$1,682 NT$52.9K

402.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,713 NT$53.9K

$2,015 NT$63.4K

-14.99%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chang-hua: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $789 in Taipei versus $312 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: $401 vs $354 – 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 65% 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 $2,240 per month in Taipei and $1,355 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 $1,494 in Taipei and $904 in Chang-hua. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 10% 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 $904, than in Taipei at $1,494. 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.