Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and Hawkesbury City

For one person, living is cheaper in Taipei: $1,344 a month against $2,532 in Hawkesbury City, rent and utilities included – about $14,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Taipei
🇹🇼 Taiwan
$1,344
/mo nomad
Hawkesbury City
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,532
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Taipei and in Hawkesbury City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Taipei and in Hawkesbury City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,344 in Taipei versus $2,532 in Hawkesbury City.

  • Taipei $1,344
  • Hawkesbury City $2,532

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,156 in Taipei versus $3,701 in Hawkesbury City.

  • Taipei $2,156
  • Hawkesbury City $3,701

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,967 in Taipei versus $4,870 in Hawkesbury City.

  • Taipei $2,967
  • Hawkesbury City $4,870

Living in Taipei costs roughly 47% less than in Hawkesbury City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Taipei is 1% below, Hawkesbury City is 87% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Taipei
Hawkesbury City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.54 NT$147
$21.14 A$30.42
-78.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.57 NT$1,510
$89.2 A$128
-47.80%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.66 NT$184
$10.59 A$15.24
-46.55%
Cappuccino
$3.37 NT$109
$4.03 A$5.79
-16.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.92 NT$29.95
$3.10 A$4.46
-70.32%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68 NT$21.98
$2.56 A$3.68
-73.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.88 NT$93.5
$8.28 A$11.92
-65.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.67 NT$119
$9.51 A$13.69
-61.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Taipei
Hawkesbury City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.91 NT$94.3
$1.56 A$2.24
86.54%
White Bread (500g)
$2.00 NT$65.0
$3.28 A$4.72
-39.02%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.97 NT$96.3
$2.62 A$3.77
13.36%
Eggs
$2.69 NT$87.4
$5.20 A$7.48
-48.27%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 NT$618
$13.19 A$18.98
44.58%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.58 NT$311
$9.80 A$14.11
-2.24%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.37 NT$693
$15.48 A$22.28
38.05%
Apples (1kg)
$4.78 NT$155
$3.94 A$5.66
21.32%
Banana (1kg)
$3.17 NT$103
$3.08 A$4.43
2.92%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.97 NT$96.4
$3.50 A$5.04
-15.14%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.42 NT$143
$5.31 A$7.64
-16.76%
Potato (1kg)
$2.67 NT$86.5
$3.18 A$4.58
-16.04%
Onion (1kg)
$2.29 NT$74.4
$2.83 A$4.07
-19.08%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.65 NT$53.6
$2.49 A$3.58
-33.73%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09 NT$35.23
$1.40 A$2.01
-22.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.81 NT$124
$45.18 A$65.0
-91.57%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.64 NT$442
$14.11 A$20.30
-3.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.65 NT$53.4
$4.82 A$6.93
-65.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.21 NT$71.7
$5.43 A$7.81
-59.30%
🚌 Getting Around
Taipei
Hawkesbury City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.59 NT$19.15
$2.81 A$4.04
-79.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$37.39 NT$1,213
$80.4 A$116
-53.48%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.66 NT$86.4
$4.14 A$5.96
-35.75%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.76 NT$24.61
$1.63 A$2.35
-53.37%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.48 NT$307
$42.97 A$61.8
-77.94%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.01 NT$32.60
$1.37 A$1.97
-26.28%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.0K NT$1.1M
$27.3K A$39.3K
24.72%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.6K NT$764.4K
$29.4K A$42.3K
-19.88%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Taipei
Hawkesbury City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$85.2 NT$2,764
$179 A$257
-52.34%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.20 NT$558
$27.02 A$38.89
-36.34%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.54 NT$861
$55.2 A$79.5
-51.94%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Taipei
Hawkesbury City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.54 NT$1,315
$56.0 A$80.6
-27.62%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.86 NT$514
$17.82 A$25.65
-11.00%
Cinema Ticket
$9.61 NT$312
$15.75 A$22.66
-38.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Taipei
Hawkesbury City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$651 NT$21.1K
$2,359 A$3,394
-72.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.4K NT$530.6K
$19.9K A$28.7K
-17.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Taipei
Hawkesbury City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.6 NT$2,031
$75.8 A$109
-17.39%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.58 NT$1,283
$56.3 A$81.0
-29.72%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.1 NT$2,728
$107 A$154
-21.54%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 NT$3,377
$130 A$188
-20.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Taipei
Hawkesbury City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$977 NT$31.7K
$1,409 A$2,027
-30.67%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$466 NT$15.1K
$1,182 A$1,701
-60.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,502 NT$48.7K
$2,127 A$3,061
-29.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$916 NT$29.7K
$1,784 A$2,567
-48.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$12.0K NT$388.7K
$5,745 A$8,267
108.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$7,082 NT$229.6K
$4,874 A$7,013
45.31%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Taipei
Hawkesbury City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,728 NT$56.0K
$4,536 A$6,527
-61.90%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.4
5.95
-59.66%

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

Last update for Taipei: October 19, 2026

Last update for Hawkesbury City: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Taipei
$466
Hawkesbury City
$1.2K 154% $716
Groceries & Markets
Taipei
$390
Hawkesbury City
$398 2.1% $8.4
Clothing & Footwear
Taipei
$131
Hawkesbury City
$166 27.3% $36
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Taipei
$129
Hawkesbury City
$261 102% $132
Eating Out
Taipei
$122
Hawkesbury City
$332 173% $210
Sport & Entertainment
Taipei
$60
Hawkesbury City
$88 46.4% $28
Getting Around
Taipei
$46
Hawkesbury City
$104 125% $58

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $977 in Taipei and $1,409 in Hawkesbury City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hawkesbury City pays 162% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Taipei vs $89.0 in Hawkesbury City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $390 vs $398 per month, with Taipei cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇼 Taipei
🇦🇺 Hawkesbury City
🕒 Local time
04:51 4:51 AM
07:51 7:51 AM
3 h ahead of Taipei
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,635,286 Capital
62,353
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, USD, EUR to TWD – New Taiwan Dollar Converter

New Taiwan Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 32.43 TWD (100 TWD = 3.08 USD). 1 EUR = 36.46 TWD (100 TWD = 2.74 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Taipei Hawkesbury City 7,190 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Taipei
  • Hawkesbury City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Hawkesbury City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Taipei or Hawkesbury City?
Taipei wins on cost – living expenses run 88% lower than in Hawkesbury City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Taipei the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Taipei or in Hawkesbury City?
On paper, salaries run 162% lower in Hawkesbury City. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Taipei compared to Hawkesbury City?
Rent for a central apartment: $977 in Taipei versus $1,409 in Hawkesbury City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Taipei or in Hawkesbury City?
Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Hawkesbury City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Taipei and in Hawkesbury City?
Dining out is cheaper in Taipei – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $89.0 in Hawkesbury City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Taipei or in Hawkesbury City?
At $1,344 in Taipei versus $2,532 in Hawkesbury City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Taipei but tight or insufficient in Hawkesbury City. The gap between the two cities makes Taipei the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Taipei or Hawkesbury City?
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.
How safe is Taipei compared to Hawkesbury City?
Safety-wise, Taipei and Hawkesbury City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Taipei gentler on the wallet – expenses run 88% less than in Hawkesbury City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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