Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and Miaoli Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and Miaoli

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,497 in Taipei versus $888 in Miaoli.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,333 in Taipei versus $1,619 in Miaoli.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,168 in Taipei versus $2,351 in Miaoli.

Living in Taipei is roughly 69% more expensive than in Miaoli, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Taipei is 12% above, Miaoli is 34% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.62 NT$214

$3.29 NT$106

101.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.86 NT$1,288

$24.96 NT$807

59.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 NT$181

$4.98 NT$161

12.25%

Cappuccino

$3.93 NT$127

$2.79 NT$90.1

40.86%

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

$1.16 NT$37.64

$1.17 NT$37.72

-0.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 NT$24.22

$0.75 NT$24.14

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 NT$111

$1.64 NT$53.0

110.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 NT$112

$2.59 NT$83.8

33.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.16 NT$102

$2.93 NT$94.8

7.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 NT$60.9

$1.39 NT$44.93

35.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 NT$98.0

$2.40 NT$77.7

26.25%

Eggs

$2.85 NT$92.0

$2.21 NT$71.3

28.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.35 NT$658

$9.19 NT$297

121.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 NT$327

$8.07 NT$261

25.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.00 NT$646

$20.70 NT$669

-3.38%

Apples (1kg)

$5.03 NT$163

$3.29 NT$106

52.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 NT$92.7

$1.04 NT$33.56

175.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 NT$93.8

$2.72 NT$87.9

6.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 NT$135

$3.00 NT$97.1

39.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 NT$92.5

$2.34 NT$75.7

22.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 NT$72.5

$1.90 NT$61.5

17.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 NT$62.9

$2.97 NT$96.1

-34.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 NT$42.46

$0.91 NT$29.51

43.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 NT$134

$6.62 NT$214

-37.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.82 NT$447

$11.02 NT$356

25.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 NT$58.3

$1.75 NT$56.6

2.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 NT$76.5

$2.34 NT$75.7

1.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 NT$27.79

$0.87 NT$28.21

-1.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.26 NT$1,333

$38.24 NT$1,236

7.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 NT$95.1

$3.10 NT$100

-5.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 NT$23.92

$0.79 NT$25.52

-6.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.32 NT$333

$8.02 NT$259

28.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 NT$33.47

$1.06 NT$34.13

-1.89%

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

$38.7K NT$1.2M

$36.9K NT$1.2M

4.69%

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

$27.6K NT$892.5K

$26.8K NT$866.6K

2.99%

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

$86.2 NT$2,784

$64.7 NT$2,092

33.12%

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

$18.64 NT$602

$28.54 NT$922

-34.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.48 NT$791

$19.44 NT$628

25.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.54 NT$1,342

$37.32 NT$1,206

11.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.88 NT$448

$15.02 NT$485

-7.59%

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 NT$378

$10.27 NT$332

14.02%

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

$643 NT$20.8K

$584 NT$18.9K

10.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K NT$609.1K

$30.1K NT$972.9K

-37.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 NT$1,923

$31.87 NT$1,030

86.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.40 NT$1,079

$24.09 NT$778

38.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 NT$3,002

$66.7 NT$2,155

39.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 NT$3,920

$101 NT$3,251

20.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$795 NT$25.7K

$335 NT$10.8K

137.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$539 NT$17.4K

$173 NT$5,578

212.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 NT$53.3K

$1,021 NT$33.0K

61.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,082 NT$34.9K

$740 NT$23.9K

46.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.8K NT$414.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,600 NT$245.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,716 NT$55.4K

$2,442 NT$78.9K

-29.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.19

9.50%

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

Last update for Taipei: July 12, 2026

Last update for Miaoli: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $795 in Taipei and $335 in Miaoli. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Miaoli pays 42% 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 $25.00 in Miaoli for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $398 vs $309 per month, with Miaoli 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 Miaoli: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taipei and Miaoli differ by about 69% in total monthly costs ($1,497 vs $888 including rent). Miaoli is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 42% lower in Miaoli. 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 $335 in Miaoli. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Taipei. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Miaoli – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $40.00 in Taipei. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $888 in Miaoli versus $1,497 in Taipei, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Miaoli but tight or insufficient in Taipei. The gap between the two cities makes Miaoli 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 Miaoli 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 Miaoli gentler on the wallet – expenses run 69% less than in Taipei. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.