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: $1,376 in Taipei versus $1,192 in Cheongju.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,242 in Taipei versus $2,049 in Cheongju.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,109 in Taipei versus $2,905 in Cheongju.

Living in Taipei is roughly 16% more expensive than in Cheongju, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Taipei is 0% above, Cheongju is 14% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 NT$149

$7.25 ₩9,721

-35.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.97 NT$1,517

$47.69 ₩64.0K

0.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.11 NT$193

$5.79 ₩7,761

5.53%

Cappuccino

$3.57 NT$113

$3.61 ₩4,836

-1.11%

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

$0.98 NT$30.94

$1.77 ₩2,368

-44.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 NT$21.02

$1.38 ₩1,846

-52.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.94 NT$92.9

$3.82 ₩5,126

-23.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 NT$121

$4.25 ₩5,697

-9.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.07 NT$97.0

$2.06 ₩2,761

49.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 NT$62.5

$3.18 ₩4,262

-37.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 NT$97.9

$1.81 ₩2,421

70.72%

Eggs

$2.68 NT$84.8

$2.18 ₩2,923

22.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.85 NT$628

$10.75 ₩14.4K

84.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.74 NT$308

$10.50 ₩14.1K

-7.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.62 NT$684

$14.67 ₩19.7K

47.38%

Apples (1kg)

$4.96 NT$157

$3.04 ₩4,077

63.16%

Banana (1kg)

$3.39 NT$107

$2.91 ₩3,905

16.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 NT$95.6

$7.59 ₩10.2K

-60.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.44 NT$140

$5.83 ₩7,814

-23.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 NT$85.9

$5.90 ₩7,914

-53.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 NT$74.8

$3.41 ₩4,568

-30.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 NT$54.2

$2.74 ₩3,669

-37.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 NT$37.64

$0.47 ₩626

153.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.86 NT$122

$3.28 ₩4,401

17.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.31 NT$453

$14.65 ₩19.7K

-2.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 NT$54.0

$1.91 ₩2,560

-10.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 NT$70.5

$2.28 ₩3,054

-2.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 NT$21.97

$1.12 ₩1,509

-38.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.58 NT$1,189

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 NT$83.4

$2.71 ₩3,637

-2.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 NT$24.51

$0.72 ₩969

8.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.49 NT$300

$16.66 ₩22.3K

-43.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 NT$33.82

$1.31 ₩1,755

-18.32%

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

$34.1K NT$1.1M

$28.8K ₩38.7M

18.41%

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

$24.9K NT$787.2K

$34.1K ₩45.7M

-26.93%

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

$85.4 NT$2,700

$198 ₩265.2K

-56.83%

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

$18.13 NT$573

$24.13 ₩32.4K

-24.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.34 NT$896

$14.98 ₩20.1K

89.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.47 NT$1,343

$54.9 ₩73.6K

-22.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.90 NT$503

$12.05 ₩16.2K

31.95%

Cinema Ticket

$9.35 NT$296

$7.57 ₩10.1K

23.51%

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

$623 NT$19.7K

$631 ₩845.9K

-1.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K NT$525.5K

$21.7K ₩29.1M

-23.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 NT$2,010

$37.58 ₩50.4K

69.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.26 NT$1,273

$66.0 ₩88.5K

-39.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 NT$2,692

$93.0 ₩124.7K

-8.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 NT$3,374

$113 ₩151.7K

-5.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$907 NT$28.7K

$276 ₩370.2K

228.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$492 NT$15.6K

$212 ₩284.8K

131.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 NT$49.6K

$1,144 ₩1.5M

37.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$970 NT$30.7K

$721 ₩966.7K

34.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.5K NT$394.6K

$7,052 ₩9.5M

76.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,787 NT$246.3K

$5,477 ₩7.3M

42.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,786 NT$56.5K

$2,630 ₩3.5M

-32.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.4

4.22

-43.13%

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

Last update for Taipei: September 5, 2026

Last update for Cheongju: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $907 in Taipei and $276 in Cheongju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cheongju pays 47% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $48.00 in Taipei vs $48.00 in Cheongju. Groceries flip the comparison at $402 vs $374, with Cheongju cheaper for home cooking.

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 16% 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, salaries run 47% lower in Cheongju. 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: $907 in Taipei versus $276 in Cheongju. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $623 in Taipei versus $631 in Cheongju. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Cheongju – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $48.00 in Taipei. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,192 in Cheongju versus $1,376 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 16% less than in Taipei. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.