Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and Msida Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and Msida

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,466 per month in Taipei vs $1,881 in Msida, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,363 per month in Taipei vs $2,879 in Msida, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,259 per month in Taipei vs $3,877 in Msida, rent included.

Taipei is about 22% cheaper than Msida, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Taipei and Msida sit above the global median – Taipei by 10%, Msida by 40%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.61 NT$209

$11.67 €9.99

-43.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.06 NT$1,300

$69.7 €59.7

-41.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 NT$178

$11.19 €9.58

-49.87%

Cappuccino

$3.86 NT$122

$2.25 €1.93

71.56%

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

$1.12 NT$35.61

$1.69 €1.45

-33.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 NT$25.25

$1.00 €0.86

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 NT$105

$3.99 €3.41

-16.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 NT$108

$4.10 €3.51

-16.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.27 NT$104

$1.38 €1.18

136.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 NT$60.5

$1.24 €1.06

54.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 NT$99.2

$3.37 €2.88

-7.12%

Eggs

$2.93 NT$92.7

$3.91 €3.35

-25.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.24 NT$640

$9.41 €8.06

115.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.73 NT$308

$9.11 €7.80

6.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.05 NT$635

$15.30 €13.10

31.05%

Apples (1kg)

$5.10 NT$161

$4.47 €3.82

14.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.99 NT$94.7

$3.18 €2.72

-5.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 NT$91.6

$3.32 €2.84

-12.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 NT$131

$3.77 €3.23

9.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.94 NT$92.9

$2.49 €2.14

18.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 NT$68.5

$1.34 €1.14

61.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 NT$59.4

$2.40 €2.06

-21.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 NT$42.04

$1.25 €1.07

6.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 NT$131

$6.34 €5.42

-34.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.79 NT$468

$8.73 €7.47

69.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 NT$57.8

$1.95 €1.67

-6.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 NT$76.2

$2.24 €1.92

7.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 NT$25.74

$2.07 €1.77

-60.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.43 NT$1,280

$30.55 €26.15

32.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 NT$92.9

$5.91 €5.06

-50.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 NT$23.16

$4.07 €3.48

-82.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.33 NT$327

$49.77 €42.60

-79.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 NT$33.80

$1.51 €1.29

-29.14%

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

$38.2K NT$1.2M

$38.6K €33.0K

-1.03%

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

$27.5K NT$870.8K

$37.6K €32.2K

-26.91%

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

$83.9 NT$2,655

$85.0 €72.8

-1.36%

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

$18.83 NT$596

$28.33 €24.25

-33.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.50 NT$775

$31.28 €26.77

-21.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.71 NT$1,320

$40.27 €34.47

3.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.81 NT$437

$23.48 €20.10

-41.18%

Cinema Ticket

$11.98 NT$379

$10.55 €9.03

13.55%

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

$646 NT$20.4K

$765 €655

-15.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K NT$596.7K

$10.9K €9,289

73.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 NT$1,858

$93.5 €80.0

-37.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.99 NT$1,044

$38.41 €32.88

-14.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 NT$2,930

$105 €89.7

-11.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 NT$3,822

$101 €86.5

19.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$795 NT$25.2K

$1,084 €928

-26.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$538 NT$17.0K

$942 €807

-42.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,652 NT$52.3K

$2,020 €1,729

-18.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,106 NT$35.0K

$1,560 €1,335

-29.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.2K NT$448.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,454 NT$267.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,657 NT$52.4K

$2,907 €2,489

-43.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.19

5.08

-56.89%

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

Last update for Taipei: April 26, 2026

Last update for Msida: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $795 in Taipei versus $1,084 in Msida. 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 75% higher in Msida, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Taipei versus $70.0 in Msida. Groceries tell a different story – $401 in Taipei vs $315 in Msida – so Msida wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Msida: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Msida is pricier by about 28%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,200 per month in Taipei and $2,821 in Msida. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 27% cheaper in Msida – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Taipei and $70.0 in Msida. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Taipei, where all-in costs run around $1,466, than in Msida at $1,881. In Taipei it covers expenses comfortably, while in Msida it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Taipei – 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 Taipei. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Msida makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.