Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and Chiayi Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and Chiayi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,371 in Taipei versus $1,063 in Chiayi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Taipei versus $1,520 in Chiayi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,104 in Taipei versus $1,978 in Chiayi.

Living in Taipei is roughly 29% more expensive than in Chiayi, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Taipei is 0% above, Chiayi is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.62 NT$147

$4.85 NT$154

-4.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.10 NT$1,526

$47.60 NT$1,510

1.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.87 NT$186

Cappuccino

$3.44 NT$109

$3.48 NT$111

-1.15%

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

$0.92 NT$29.21

$0.88 NT$28.00

4.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 NT$21.00

$0.65 NT$20.76

1.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 NT$87.6

$2.93 NT$92.8

-5.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 NT$119

$3.85 NT$122

-2.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.04 NT$96.5

$3.03 NT$96.2

0.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 NT$62.4

$2.02 NT$64.0

-2.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 NT$96.1

$3.20 NT$102

-5.31%

Eggs

$2.77 NT$88.0

$2.81 NT$89.1

-1.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.90 NT$631

$19.93 NT$632

-0.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.95 NT$316

$9.84 NT$312

1.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.25 NT$674

$21.77 NT$691

-2.39%

Apples (1kg)

$5.04 NT$160

$4.87 NT$154

3.49%

Banana (1kg)

$3.36 NT$107

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 NT$99.0

$3.05 NT$96.7

2.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.46 NT$142

$4.39 NT$139

1.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 NT$88.9

$2.72 NT$86.2

2.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 NT$73.6

$2.33 NT$74.0

-0.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 NT$54.4

$1.68 NT$53.3

1.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 NT$37.37

$1.18 NT$37.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 NT$124

$3.94 NT$125

-1.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.43 NT$458

$4.83 NT$153

198.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 NT$52.8

$1.72 NT$54.4

-2.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 NT$73.2

$2.27 NT$72.1

1.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 NT$22.01

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.23 NT$1,181

$12.74 NT$404

192.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 NT$85.5

$2.63 NT$83.3

2.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 NT$23.87

$0.46 NT$14.59

63.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.50 NT$302

$9.60 NT$304

-1.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 NT$32.15

$1.01 NT$32.01

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

$33.8K NT$1.1M

$33.6K NT$1.1M

0.52%

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

$24.1K NT$764.8K

$24.0K NT$762.3K

0.33%

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

$85.7 NT$2,719

$66.0 NT$2,092

29.93%

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

$18.27 NT$580

$17.74 NT$563

2.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.88 NT$885

$27.30 NT$866

2.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.07 NT$1,303

$31.50 NT$999

30.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.95 NT$506

Cinema Ticket

$9.66 NT$307

$9.75 NT$309

-0.92%

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

$633 NT$20.1K

$625 NT$19.8K

1.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K NT$535.1K

$16.6K NT$525.1K

1.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 NT$1,958

$63.0 NT$1,998

-2.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.47 NT$1,284

$40.17 NT$1,274

0.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 NT$2,659

$83.0 NT$2,633

1.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 NT$3,402

$104 NT$3,292

3.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$866 NT$27.5K

$378 NT$12.0K

129.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$494 NT$15.7K

$250 NT$7,937

97.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 NT$49.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$955 NT$30.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.7K NT$401.6K

$3,203 NT$101.6K

295.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,665 NT$243.2K

$1,861 NT$59.0K

311.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,716 NT$54.4K

$2,143 NT$68.0K

-19.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.4

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

Last update for Taipei: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiayi: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $866 in Taipei and $378 in Chiayi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiayi pays 25% 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 Chiayi. Groceries flip the comparison at $402 vs $384, with Chiayi 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 Chiayi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiayi wins on cost – living expenses run 29% lower than in Taipei. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiayi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 25% lower in Chiayi. 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: $866 in Taipei versus $378 in Chiayi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,371 per month in Taipei versus $1,063 in Chiayi – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiayi runs roughly 192% less than in Taipei. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,063 in Chiayi versus $1,371 in Taipei, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiayi but tight or insufficient in Taipei. The gap between the two cities makes Chiayi 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 Chiayi 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 Chiayi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Taipei. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.