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: $1,466 in Taipei versus $1,384 in New Taipei City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,363 in Taipei versus $2,281 in New Taipei City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,259 in Taipei versus $3,179 in New Taipei City.

Living in Taipei is roughly 6% more expensive than New Taipei City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Taipei 10% above, New Taipei City 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.61 NT$209

$5.16 NT$163

28.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.06 NT$1,296

$34.11 NT$1,077

20.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 NT$177

$5.67 NT$179

-1.06%

Cappuccino

$3.86 NT$122

$2.94 NT$92.7

31.29%

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

$1.12 NT$35.52

$0.89 NT$28.00

25.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 NT$25.18

$0.78 NT$24.78

2.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 NT$105

$2.05 NT$64.6

61.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 NT$108

$2.74 NT$86.4

24.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.27 NT$103

$3.20 NT$101

2.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 NT$60.4

$1.89 NT$59.8

1.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 NT$98.9

$3.01 NT$95.1

3.99%

Eggs

$2.93 NT$92.5

$2.92 NT$92.2

0.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.24 NT$639

$20.31 NT$641

-0.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.73 NT$307

$8.78 NT$277

10.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.05 NT$633

$20.32 NT$641

-1.33%

Apples (1kg)

$5.10 NT$161

$4.67 NT$148

9.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.99 NT$94.5

$2.64 NT$83.3

13.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 NT$91.4

$2.73 NT$86.1

5.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 NT$131

$4.21 NT$133

-1.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.94 NT$92.7

$2.81 NT$88.6

4.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 NT$68.3

$2.29 NT$72.3

-5.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 NT$59.3

$2.03 NT$64.1

-7.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 NT$41.93

$1.30 NT$41.19

2.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 NT$131

$4.04 NT$128

2.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.79 NT$467

$9.37 NT$296

57.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 NT$57.6

$1.65 NT$52.1

10.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 NT$76.0

$2.34 NT$73.7

2.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 NT$25.67

$0.65 NT$20.45

24.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.43 NT$1,277

$41.17 NT$1,300

-1.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 NT$92.7

$2.84 NT$89.8

3.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 NT$23.11

$0.74 NT$23.48

-1.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.33 NT$326

$10.21 NT$322

1.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 NT$33.72

$1.07 NT$33.81

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

$38.2K NT$1.2M

$38.7K NT$1.2M

-1.33%

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

$27.5K NT$868.6K

$28.0K NT$885.3K

-1.88%

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

$83.9 NT$2,648

$97.4 NT$3,076

-13.93%

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

$18.83 NT$594

$24.77 NT$782

-23.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.50 NT$773

$24.23 NT$765

1.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.71 NT$1,317

$39.12 NT$1,235

6.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.81 NT$436

$16.27 NT$514

-15.12%

Cinema Ticket

$11.98 NT$378

$11.65 NT$368

2.83%

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

$646 NT$20.4K

$633 NT$20.0K

2.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K NT$595.2K

$18.7K NT$589.8K

0.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 NT$1,854

$78.3 NT$2,472

-25.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.99 NT$1,041

$34.44 NT$1,087

-4.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 NT$2,923

$95.0 NT$2,998

-2.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 NT$3,812

$123 NT$3,889

-1.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$795 NT$25.1K

$655 NT$20.7K

21.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$538 NT$17.0K

$464 NT$14.6K

15.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,652 NT$52.2K

$1,731 NT$54.6K

-4.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,106 NT$34.9K

$1,083 NT$34.2K

2.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.2K NT$446.9K

$12.7K NT$399.6K

11.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,454 NT$266.9K

$7,233 NT$228.4K

16.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,657 NT$52.3K

$1,366 NT$43.1K

21.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.19

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

Last update for Taipei: April 26, 2026

Last update for New Taipei City: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $795 in Taipei and $655 in New Taipei City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taipei pays 21% 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: $41.00 in Taipei vs $34.00 in New Taipei City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $401 vs $380 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 6% in total monthly costs ($1,466 vs $1,384 including rent). New Taipei City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Taipei pays 21% more on average, 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: $795 in Taipei versus $655 in New Taipei City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,466 per month in Taipei versus $1,384 in New Taipei City – a 6% 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 2% less than in Taipei. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,384 in New Taipei City versus $1,466 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 6% less than in Taipei. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.