Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and Keelung Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and Keelung

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,497 in Taipei versus $1,273 in Keelung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,333 in Taipei versus $2,039 in Keelung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,168 in Taipei versus $2,805 in Keelung.

Living in Taipei is roughly 18% more expensive than in Keelung, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Taipei is 12% above, Keelung is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.62 NT$214

$4.99 NT$162

32.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.86 NT$1,290

$30.37 NT$983

31.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 NT$181

$5.45 NT$176

2.57%

Cappuccino

$3.93 NT$127

$3.07 NT$99.2

28.01%

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

$1.16 NT$37.70

$1.16 NT$37.44

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 NT$24.26

$0.85 NT$27.59

-11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 NT$112

$2.15 NT$69.6

60.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 NT$112

$2.85 NT$92.2

21.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.16 NT$102

$3.36 NT$109

-5.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 NT$61.0

$1.48 NT$47.96

27.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 NT$98.2

$1.20 NT$38.83

152.50%

Eggs

$2.85 NT$92.2

$2.38 NT$77.1

19.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.35 NT$659

$31.59 NT$1,022

-35.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 NT$327

$5.99 NT$194

68.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.00 NT$647

$15.69 NT$508

27.47%

Apples (1kg)

$5.03 NT$163

$4.68 NT$152

7.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 NT$92.8

$1.81 NT$58.5

58.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 NT$94.0

$2.23 NT$72.2

30.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 NT$135

$2.98 NT$96.6

40.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 NT$92.6

$1.33 NT$43.05

115.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 NT$72.6

$1.88 NT$60.9

19.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 NT$63.0

$2.30 NT$74.6

-15.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 NT$42.53

$1.26 NT$40.69

3.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 NT$134

$3.99 NT$129

3.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.82 NT$447

$9.28 NT$300

48.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 NT$58.4

$1.18 NT$38.18

52.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 NT$76.6

$2.52 NT$81.6

-5.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 NT$27.84

$0.53 NT$17.01

62.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.26 NT$1,335

$69.1 NT$2,236

-40.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 NT$95.2

$2.93 NT$94.7

0.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 NT$23.96

$1.19 NT$38.43

-37.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.32 NT$334

$9.99 NT$323

3.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 NT$33.53

$1.01 NT$32.81

2.97%

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

$38.7K NT$1.3M

$33.8K NT$1.1M

14.40%

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

$27.6K NT$894.0K

$26.1K NT$844.8K

5.82%

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

$86.2 NT$2,789

$44.09 NT$1,427

95.44%

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

$18.64 NT$603

$24.40 NT$790

-23.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.48 NT$792

$12.04 NT$390

103.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.54 NT$1,345

$37.63 NT$1,218

10.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.88 NT$449

$34.32 NT$1,111

-59.56%

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 NT$379

$8.53 NT$276

37.28%

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

$643 NT$20.8K

$362 NT$11.7K

77.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K NT$610.1K

$20.7K NT$670.8K

-9.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 NT$1,926

$85.1 NT$2,754

-30.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.40 NT$1,081

$34.63 NT$1,121

-3.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 NT$3,007

$50.4 NT$1,630

84.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 NT$3,926

$33.26 NT$1,076

264.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$795 NT$25.7K

$611 NT$19.8K

30.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$539 NT$17.4K

$510 NT$16.5K

5.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 NT$53.4K

$1,127 NT$36.5K

46.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,082 NT$35.0K

$1,017 NT$32.9K

6.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.8K NT$415.4K

$3,386 NT$109.6K

279.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,600 NT$246.0K

$2,304 NT$74.6K

229.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,716 NT$55.5K

$2,392 NT$77.4K

-28.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.19

2.18

0.46%

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

Last update for Taipei: July 12, 2026

Last update for Keelung: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $795 in Taipei and $611 in Keelung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Keelung pays 39% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $40.00 in Taipei vs $30.00 in Keelung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $398 vs $354 per month, with Keelung 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 Keelung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taipei and Keelung differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($1,497 vs $1,273 including rent). Keelung is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 39% lower in Keelung. 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 $611 in Keelung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Taipei. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Keelung – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $40.00 in Taipei. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,273 in Keelung versus $1,497 in Taipei, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Keelung but tight or insufficient in Taipei. The gap between the two cities makes Keelung 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 Keelung 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 Keelung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Taipei. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.