Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and Cheongju Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and Cheongju

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,497 in Taipei versus $1,281 in Cheongju.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,340 in Taipei versus $1,902 in Cheongju.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,184 in Taipei versus $2,523 in Cheongju.

Living in Taipei is roughly 17% more expensive than Cheongju, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Taipei is 11% above, Cheongju is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.83 NT$216

$7.13 ₩10.8K

-4.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.89 NT$1,261

$36.55 ₩55.5K

9.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.74 NT$182

$4.75 ₩7,217

20.84%

Cappuccino

$3.82 NT$121

$4.01 ₩6,086

-4.74%

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

$1.18 NT$37.35

$1.86 ₩2,825

-36.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 NT$23.45

$1.34 ₩2,038

-44.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 NT$109

$3.65 ₩5,547

-6.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 NT$106

$5.97 ₩9,060

-43.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.15 NT$99.7

$2.01 ₩3,059

56.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 NT$59.8

$3.61 ₩5,475

-47.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.14 NT$99.1

$1.86 ₩2,828

68.82%

Eggs

$2.83 NT$89.4

$2.18 ₩3,305

29.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.13 NT$636

$10.61 ₩16.1K

89.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.90 NT$313

$8.26 ₩12.5K

19.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.51 NT$649

$14.64 ₩22.2K

40.10%

Apples (1kg)

$5.30 NT$167

$2.89 ₩4,388

83.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.95 NT$93.4

$2.99 ₩4,540

-1.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 NT$88.8

$7.49 ₩11.4K

-62.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.20 NT$133

$5.12 ₩7,769

-17.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 NT$91.9

$5.03 ₩7,635

-42.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 NT$70.0

$2.90 ₩4,402

-23.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 NT$62.2

$2.10 ₩3,186

-6.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 NT$41.82

$0.43 ₩651

206.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 NT$125

$3.36 ₩5,098

18.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.26 NT$451

$12.89 ₩19.6K

10.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 NT$55.7

$1.76 ₩2,672

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 NT$75.8

$2.26 ₩3,429

6.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 NT$26.53

$1.20 ₩1,826

-30.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.75 NT$1,288

$74.6 ₩113.3K

-45.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 NT$92.6

$2.63 ₩3,998

11.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 NT$23.28

$0.84 ₩1,282

-11.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.29 NT$325

$16.78 ₩25.5K

-38.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 NT$32.25

$1.16 ₩1,754

-12.07%

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

$37.5K NT$1.2M

$28.0K ₩42.6M

33.74%

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

$27.1K NT$855.9K

$24.7K ₩37.5M

9.69%

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

$83.9 NT$2,653

$191 ₩289.8K

-56.03%

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

$18.55 NT$587

$24.60 ₩37.4K

-24.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.94 NT$788

$14.88 ₩22.6K

67.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.43 NT$1,310

$61.3 ₩93.0K

-32.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.55 NT$428

$34.47 ₩52.3K

-60.69%

Cinema Ticket

$11.89 NT$376

$7.40 ₩11.2K

60.68%

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

$624 NT$19.7K

$480 ₩729.3K

29.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.7K NT$591.8K

$14.3K ₩21.7M

31.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 NT$1,884

$36.54 ₩55.5K

63.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.93 NT$1,073

$47.44 ₩72.0K

-28.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 NT$2,975

$87.2 ₩132.4K

7.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 NT$3,941

$109 ₩165.6K

14.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$782 NT$24.7K

$304 ₩461.7K

157.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 NT$17.5K

$240 ₩364.3K

130.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 NT$53.1K

$417 ₩633.3K

302.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,088 NT$34.4K

$295 ₩447.3K

269.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K NT$431.7K

$9,450 ₩14.4M

44.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,549 NT$270.3K

$5,234 ₩7.9M

63.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,788 NT$56.5K

$2,277 ₩3.5M

-21.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.19

4.22

-48.10%

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

Last update for Taipei: June 7, 2026

Last update for Cheongju: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $782 in Taipei and $304 in Cheongju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cheongju pays 27% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $40.00 in Taipei vs $37.00 in Cheongju for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $401 vs $351 per month, with Cheongju 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

Taipei vs Cheongju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cheongju wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Taipei. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cheongju the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Cheongju earns 27% less. 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: $782 in Taipei versus $304 in Cheongju. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,497 per month in Taipei versus $1,281 in Cheongju – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cheongju runs roughly 83% less than in Taipei. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,281 in Cheongju versus $1,497 in Taipei, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cheongju but tight or insufficient in Taipei. The gap between the two cities makes Cheongju 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, Taipei and Cheongju 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 Cheongju gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Taipei. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.