Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and New Taipei City Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and New Taipei City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,384 in Taipei versus $1,239 in New Taipei City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,233 in Taipei versus $2,038 in New Taipei City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Taipei versus $2,837 in New Taipei City.

Living in Taipei is roughly 12% more expensive than in New Taipei City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Taipei is 1% above, New Taipei City is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.61 NT$147

$4.70 NT$150

-1.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.83 NT$1,491

$31.51 NT$1,003

48.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.54 NT$176

$5.23 NT$166

5.93%

Cappuccino

$3.46 NT$110

$2.24 NT$71.2

54.46%

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

$0.92 NT$29.44

$0.88 NT$28.04

4.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 NT$19.83

$0.56 NT$17.94

10.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.78 NT$88.6

$1.67 NT$53.3

66.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 NT$122

$2.45 NT$78.0

55.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.11 NT$99.0

$3.08 NT$98.1

0.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 NT$62.6

$1.82 NT$57.8

8.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.17 NT$101

$2.20 NT$70.0

44.09%

Eggs

$2.81 NT$89.6

$2.19 NT$69.6

28.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.49 NT$621

$25.19 NT$802

-22.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.00 NT$318

$10.60 NT$337

-5.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.90 NT$697

$18.94 NT$603

15.63%

Apples (1kg)

$4.80 NT$153

$4.13 NT$131

16.22%

Banana (1kg)

$3.25 NT$103

$2.44 NT$77.7

33.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 NT$95.0

$2.81 NT$89.6

6.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 NT$139

$3.99 NT$127

9.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 NT$85.9

$4.02 NT$128

-32.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 NT$72.6

$2.07 NT$66.0

10.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 NT$54.3

$1.64 NT$52.1

3.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 NT$37.22

$1.04 NT$33.16

12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.02 NT$128

$4.46 NT$142

-9.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.29 NT$455

$8.89 NT$283

60.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 NT$52.7

$1.49 NT$47.28

11.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 NT$70.7

$2.01 NT$63.9

10.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 NT$19.38

$0.82 NT$26.19

-25.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.17 NT$1,215

$37.92 NT$1,207

0.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 NT$87.0

$2.82 NT$89.8

-3.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 NT$25.61

$0.99 NT$31.61

-19.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.18 NT$292

$9.69 NT$309

-5.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 NT$33.59

$1.01 NT$32.00

4.95%

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

$34.0K NT$1.1M

$33.9K NT$1.1M

0.14%

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

$24.4K NT$777.6K

$24.4K NT$775.7K

0.25%

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

$83.2 NT$2,648

$112 NT$3,558

-25.56%

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

$17.73 NT$565

$16.69 NT$531

6.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.05 NT$893

$22.96 NT$731

22.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.43 NT$1,319

$39.29 NT$1,251

5.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.34 NT$520

$7.78 NT$248

110.03%

Cinema Ticket

$9.51 NT$303

$12.64 NT$402

-24.76%

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

$615 NT$19.6K

$650 NT$20.7K

-5.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K NT$544.1K

$21.2K NT$676.1K

-19.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 NT$1,995

$35.16 NT$1,119

78.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.32 NT$1,284

$31.25 NT$995

29.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 NT$2,696

$93.8 NT$2,985

-9.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 NT$3,337

$99.4 NT$3,162

5.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$898 NT$28.6K

$646 NT$20.6K

39.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$490 NT$15.6K

$340 NT$10.8K

43.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,550 NT$49.3K

$1,396 NT$44.4K

10.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$971 NT$30.9K

$926 NT$29.5K

4.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.2K NT$389.6K

$12.4K NT$394.3K

-1.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,708 NT$245.3K

$7,248 NT$230.7K

6.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,714 NT$54.5K

$1,391 NT$44.3K

23.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.4

2.81

-14.59%

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

Last update for Taipei: September 13, 2026

Last update for New Taipei City: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $898 in Taipei and $646 in New Taipei City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taipei pays 23% 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 $32.00 in New Taipei City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $401 vs $383 per month, with New Taipei City 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 New Taipei City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taipei and New Taipei City differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($1,384 vs $1,239 including rent). New Taipei City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 23% higher in Taipei, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $898 in Taipei versus $646 in New Taipei City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,384 per month in Taipei versus $1,239 in New Taipei City – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in New Taipei City runs roughly 1% less than in Taipei. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,239 in New Taipei City versus $1,384 in Taipei, a $2,000 budget is realistic in New Taipei City but tight or insufficient in Taipei. The gap between the two cities makes New Taipei City 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 New Taipei 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.

Expats usually find New Taipei City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Taipei. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.