Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and Douliu Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and Douliu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,371 per month in Taipei vs $1,130 in Douliu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,237 per month in Taipei vs $1,853 in Douliu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,104 per month in Taipei vs $2,576 in Douliu, rent included.

Taipei costs about 21% more than Douliu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Taipei sits 0% above the global median, while Douliu is 18% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.62 NT$147

$3.68 NT$117

25.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.10 NT$1,526

$22.43 NT$712

114.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.87 NT$186

$5.69 NT$181

3.16%

Cappuccino

$3.44 NT$109

$3.45 NT$109

-0.29%

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

$0.92 NT$29.21

$0.91 NT$28.72

1.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 NT$21.00

$0.59 NT$18.83

11.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 NT$87.6

$2.81 NT$89.1

-1.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 NT$119

$3.72 NT$118

0.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.04 NT$96.5

$3.07 NT$97.5

-0.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 NT$62.4

$1.87 NT$59.4

5.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 NT$96.1

$3.29 NT$104

-7.90%

Eggs

$2.77 NT$88.0

$2.64 NT$83.7

4.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.90 NT$631

$18.83 NT$597

5.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.95 NT$316

$9.94 NT$315

0.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.25 NT$674

$21.68 NT$688

-1.98%

Apples (1kg)

$5.04 NT$160

$5.02 NT$159

0.40%

Banana (1kg)

$3.36 NT$107

$3.34 NT$106

0.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 NT$99.0

$3.00 NT$95.1

4.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.46 NT$142

$4.33 NT$137

3.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 NT$88.9

$2.83 NT$89.6

-1.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 NT$73.6

$2.36 NT$75.0

-1.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 NT$54.4

$1.73 NT$54.9

-1.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 NT$37.37

$1.15 NT$36.37

2.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 NT$124

$3.87 NT$123

0.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.43 NT$458

$14.02 NT$445

2.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 NT$52.8

$1.61 NT$51.1

3.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 NT$73.2

$2.20 NT$69.9

5.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 NT$22.01

$0.65 NT$20.47

6.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.23 NT$1,181

$36.67 NT$1,163

1.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 NT$85.5

$2.75 NT$87.1

-1.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 NT$23.87

$0.78 NT$24.61

-3.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.50 NT$302

$9.62 NT$305

-1.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 NT$32.15

$1.01 NT$31.95

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

$33.8K NT$1.1M

$33.0K NT$1.0M

2.35%

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

$24.1K NT$764.8K

$24.0K NT$760.8K

0.52%

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

$85.7 NT$2,719

$82.3 NT$2,610

4.16%

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

$18.27 NT$580

$17.78 NT$564

2.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.88 NT$885

$27.62 NT$876

0.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.07 NT$1,303

$36.21 NT$1,149

13.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.95 NT$506

Cinema Ticket

$9.66 NT$307

$9.47 NT$301

2.01%

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

$633 NT$20.1K

$616 NT$19.6K

2.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K NT$535.1K

$16.9K NT$535.7K

-0.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 NT$1,958

$56.8 NT$1,801

8.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.47 NT$1,284

$40.64 NT$1,289

-0.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 NT$2,659

$82.5 NT$2,616

1.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 NT$3,402

$101 NT$3,203

6.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$866 NT$27.5K

$395 NT$12.5K

119.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$494 NT$15.7K

$250 NT$7,946

97.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 NT$49.9K

$960 NT$30.5K

63.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$955 NT$30.3K

$729 NT$23.1K

31.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.7K NT$401.6K

$7,200 NT$228.4K

75.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,665 NT$243.2K

$4,928 NT$156.3K

55.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,716 NT$54.4K

$2,526 NT$80.1K

-32.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.4

2.35

2.13%

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

Last update for Taipei: August 31, 2026

Last update for Douliu: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $866 in Taipei versus $395 in Douliu. 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 47% higher in Douliu, 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 $22.00 in Douliu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $402 vs $398 – making Douliu 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 Douliu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taipei costs about 21% more than Douliu, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. 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 $1,695 in Douliu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Douliu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Taipei and $22.00 in Douliu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,371 in Taipei and $1,130 in Douliu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Douliu, where all-in costs run around $1,130, than in Taipei at $1,371. In Douliu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Taipei it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Douliu – 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 Douliu. 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.