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: $1,466 in Taipei versus $1,271 in Cheongju.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,363 in Taipei versus $1,916 in Cheongju.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,259 in Taipei versus $2,562 in Cheongju.

Living in Taipei is roughly 15% more expensive than Cheongju, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Taipei is 10% above, Cheongju is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.61 NT$209

$7.10 ₩10.5K

-6.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.06 NT$1,296

$36.92 ₩54.4K

11.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 NT$177

$4.75 ₩7,000

18.11%

Cappuccino

$3.86 NT$122

$4.20 ₩6,192

-8.10%

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

$1.12 NT$35.52

$1.82 ₩2,675

-38.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 NT$25.18

$1.33 ₩1,960

-39.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 NT$105

$3.65 ₩5,385

-9.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 NT$108

$5.85 ₩8,619

-41.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.27 NT$103

$2.03 ₩2,989

61.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 NT$60.4

$3.49 ₩5,135

-45.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 NT$98.9

$1.80 ₩2,646

73.89%

Eggs

$2.93 NT$92.5

$2.14 ₩3,149

36.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.24 NT$639

$10.37 ₩15.3K

95.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.73 NT$307

$8.15 ₩12.0K

19.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.05 NT$633

$14.73 ₩21.7K

36.12%

Apples (1kg)

$5.10 NT$161

$2.90 ₩4,276

75.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.99 NT$94.5

$2.85 ₩4,205

4.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 NT$91.4

$7.33 ₩10.8K

-60.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 NT$131

$5.10 ₩7,520

-18.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.94 NT$92.7

$5.18 ₩7,634

-43.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 NT$68.3

$2.99 ₩4,407

-27.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 NT$59.3

$2.10 ₩3,097

-10.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 NT$41.93

$0.45 ₩670

195.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 NT$131

$3.40 ₩5,011

21.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.79 NT$467

$13.40 ₩19.7K

10.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 NT$57.6

$1.76 ₩2,589

3.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 NT$76.0

$2.23 ₩3,284

8.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 NT$25.67

$1.20 ₩1,771

-32.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.43 NT$1,277

$74.2 ₩109.3K

-45.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 NT$92.7

$2.72 ₩4,000

8.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 NT$23.11

$0.78 ₩1,151

-6.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.33 NT$326

$16.73 ₩24.6K

-38.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 NT$33.72

$1.20 ₩1,771

-10.83%

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

$38.2K NT$1.2M

$27.8K ₩41.0M

37.18%

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

$27.5K NT$868.6K

$24.8K ₩36.5M

11.12%

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

$83.9 NT$2,648

$187 ₩274.8K

-55.04%

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

$18.83 NT$594

$24.21 ₩35.7K

-22.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.50 NT$773

$14.77 ₩21.8K

65.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.71 NT$1,317

$60.7 ₩89.4K

-31.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.81 NT$436

$33.69 ₩49.6K

-59.01%

Cinema Ticket

$11.98 NT$378

$7.54 ₩11.1K

58.89%

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

$646 NT$20.4K

$487 ₩718.0K

32.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K NT$595.2K

$14.2K ₩20.9M

32.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 NT$1,854

$36.46 ₩53.7K

61.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.99 NT$1,041

$47.11 ₩69.4K

-29.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 NT$2,923

$89.9 ₩132.4K

2.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 NT$3,812

$108 ₩159.3K

11.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$795 NT$25.1K

$300 ₩442.6K

164.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$538 NT$17.0K

$236 ₩348.0K

127.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,652 NT$52.2K

$418 ₩616.0K

295.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,106 NT$34.9K

$301 ₩443.3K

267.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.2K NT$446.9K

$9,730 ₩14.3M

45.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,454 NT$266.9K

$5,844 ₩8.6M

44.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,657 NT$52.3K

$2,369 ₩3.5M

-30.07%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Cheongju: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $795 in Taipei and $300 in Cheongju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cheongju pays 43% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $41.00 in Taipei vs $37.00 in Cheongju for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $401 vs $349 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 15% 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 43% 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: $795 in Taipei versus $300 in Cheongju. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,466 per month in Taipei versus $1,271 in Cheongju – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cheongju runs roughly 84% less than in Taipei. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,271 in Cheongju versus $1,466 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 15% less than in Taipei. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.