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 $1,371 per month in Taipei vs $894 in Chang-hua, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,237 per month in Taipei vs $1,355 in Chang-hua, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,104 per month in Taipei vs $1,815 in Chang-hua, rent included.

Taipei costs about 53% more than Chang-hua, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Taipei sits 0% above the global median, while Chang-hua is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.62 NT$147

$4.06 NT$129

13.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.10 NT$1,526

$32.91 NT$1,044

46.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.87 NT$186

$6.10 NT$194

-3.77%

Cappuccino

$3.44 NT$109

$1.65 NT$52.3

108.48%

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

$0.92 NT$29.21

$0.94 NT$29.79

-2.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 NT$21.00

$0.61 NT$19.29

8.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 NT$87.6

$1.40 NT$44.52

97.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 NT$119

$2.27 NT$72.1

64.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.04 NT$96.5

$2.35 NT$74.6

29.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 NT$62.4

$2.03 NT$64.5

-2.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 NT$96.1

$2.88 NT$91.3

5.21%

Eggs

$2.77 NT$88.0

$2.72 NT$86.2

1.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.90 NT$631

$16.36 NT$519

21.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.95 NT$316

$10.08 NT$320

-1.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.25 NT$674

$21.88 NT$694

-2.88%

Apples (1kg)

$5.04 NT$160

$5.05 NT$160

-0.20%

Banana (1kg)

$3.36 NT$107

$3.32 NT$105

1.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 NT$99.0

$3.02 NT$95.9

3.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.46 NT$142

$3.14 NT$99.5

42.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 NT$88.9

$2.69 NT$85.4

4.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 NT$73.6

$2.21 NT$70.0

4.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 NT$54.4

$1.75 NT$55.5

-2.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 NT$37.37

$0.81 NT$25.56

45.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 NT$124

$4.05 NT$128

-3.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.43 NT$458

$9.36 NT$297

54.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 NT$52.8

$1.46 NT$46.33

14.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 NT$73.2

$2.22 NT$70.5

4.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 NT$22.01

$1.55 NT$49.04

-55.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.23 NT$1,181

$34.54 NT$1,096

7.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 NT$85.5

$2.70 NT$85.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 NT$23.87

$0.75 NT$23.82

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.50 NT$302

$9.73 NT$309

-2.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 NT$32.15

$1.02 NT$32.37

-0.98%

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

$33.8K NT$1.1M

$33.5K NT$1.1M

0.76%

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

$24.1K NT$764.8K

$24.4K NT$774.1K

-1.20%

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

$85.7 NT$2,719

$31.05 NT$985

175.97%

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

$18.27 NT$580

$18.25 NT$579

0.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.88 NT$885

$18.86 NT$598

47.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.07 NT$1,303

$31.87 NT$1,011

28.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.95 NT$506

Cinema Ticket

$9.66 NT$307

$9.25 NT$293

4.43%

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

$633 NT$20.1K

$630 NT$20.0K

0.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K NT$535.1K

$7,739 NT$245.5K

117.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 NT$1,958

$50.1 NT$1,590

23.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.47 NT$1,284

$15.20 NT$482

166.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 NT$2,659

$80.2 NT$2,546

4.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 NT$3,402

$51.0 NT$1,617

110.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$866 NT$27.5K

$257 NT$8,159

236.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$494 NT$15.7K

$171 NT$5,421

189.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 NT$49.9K

$497 NT$15.8K

216.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$955 NT$30.3K

$173 NT$5,486

452.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.7K NT$401.6K

$3,061 NT$97.1K

313.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,665 NT$243.2K

$1,650 NT$52.3K

364.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,716 NT$54.4K

$2,024 NT$64.2K

-15.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.4

2.2

9.09%

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

Last update for Taipei: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chang-hua: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $866 in Taipei versus $257 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 $48.00 in Taipei versus $33.00 in Chang-hua. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $402 vs $364 – 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 53% more than Chang-hua, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,056 per month in Taipei and $1,342 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 $1,371 in Taipei and $894 in Chang-hua. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 8% 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 $894, than in Taipei at $1,371. 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.