Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and Norsup

For one person, living is cheaper in Taipei: $1,395 a month against $3,410 in Norsup, rent and utilities included – about $24,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Norsup outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Taipei
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Taipei Living Index

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Taipei

🇹🇼 Taiwan

$1,395

/mo nomad

Norsup

🇻🇺 Vanuatu

$3,410

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Taipei and in Norsup

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Taipei and in Norsup actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,395 in Taipei versus $3,410 in Norsup.

Taipei $1,395
Norsup $3,410

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,227 in Taipei versus $2,250 in Norsup.

Taipei $2,227
Norsup $2,250

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,059 in Taipei versus $1,090 in Norsup.

Taipei $3,059
Norsup $1,090

Living in Taipei costs roughly 59% less than in Norsup, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Taipei 4% above, Norsup 154% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.76 NT$152

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.18 NT$1,537

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.75 NT$183

Cappuccino

$3.49 NT$112

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

$0.88 NT$28.03

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 NT$20.61

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.86 NT$91.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 NT$117

Milk (1 liter)

$3.09 NT$98.5

$4.28 VUV 502

-27.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 NT$65.5

$4.28 VUV 502

-52.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.06 NT$97.5

$4.14 VUV 484

-26.09%

Eggs

$2.70 NT$86.0

$5.20 VUV 608

-48.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.66 NT$627

$12.45 VUV 1,458

57.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 NT$314

$8.69 VUV 1,018

13.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.11 NT$674

$15.26 VUV 1,787

38.34%

Apples (1kg)

$5.08 NT$162

$4.20 VUV 492

20.95%

Banana (1kg)

$3.39 NT$108

$4.30 VUV 504

-21.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 NT$95.8

$4.10 VUV 480

-26.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.56 NT$146

$4.24 VUV 497

7.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 NT$86.8

$4.29 VUV 502

-36.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 NT$72.9

$4.27 VUV 499

-46.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 NT$53.7

$4.10 VUV 480

-59.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 NT$36.81

$4.17 VUV 489

-72.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.05 NT$129

$17.11 VUV 2,004

-76.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.32 NT$457

$16.91 VUV 1,980

-15.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 NT$54.2

$4.19 VUV 490

-59.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 NT$73.0

$4.17 VUV 488

-45.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 NT$19.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.47 NT$1,228

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 NT$87.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 NT$24.02

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.59 NT$306

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 NT$32.56

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

$34.1K NT$1.1M

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

$24.2K NT$771.9K

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

$86.4 NT$2,756

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

$17.12 NT$546

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.06 NT$864

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.77 NT$1,301

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.04 NT$512

Cinema Ticket

$9.63 NT$307

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

$656 NT$20.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K NT$524.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 NT$2,001

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.50 NT$1,261

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 NT$2,677

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 NT$3,392

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,016 NT$32.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$479 NT$15.3K

$2,981 VUV 349.0K

-83.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 NT$50.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$952 NT$30.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.2K NT$389.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,207 NT$230.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,772 NT$56.5K

$300 VUV 35.1K

490.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.4

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

Last update for Taipei: October 4, 2026

Last update for Norsup: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Taipei

$479 34.8%

Norsup

–

Groceries & Markets

Taipei

$401 29.2%

Norsup

–

Clothing & Footwear

Taipei

$132 9.6%

Norsup

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Taipei

$131 9.5%

Norsup

–

Eating Out

Taipei

$125 9.1%

Norsup

–

Sport & Entertainment

Taipei

$60 4.4%

Norsup

–

Getting Around

Taipei

$47 3.5%

Norsup

–

Cost Breakdown

Taipei pays 490% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Good to know

🇹🇼 Taipei

🇻🇺 Norsup

🕒 Local time

16:44 4:44 PM

19:44 7:44 PM

3 h ahead of Taipei

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,635,286 Capital

1,200

💱 Currency

New Taiwan Dollar TWD NT$

Vanuatu Vatu VUV Vt

📈 Exchange rate

100 TWD = 3.13 USD

100 TWD = 2.79 EUR

1,000 VUV = 8.54 USD

1,000 VUV = 7.62 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

VUV, USD, EUR to TWD – New Taiwan Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇼 New Taiwan Dollar (NT$)

New Taiwan Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 31.91 TWD (100 TWD = 3.13 USD). 1 EUR = 35.79 TWD (100 TWD = 2.79 EUR).

Vanuatu Vatu exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 117 VUV (1,000 VUV = 8.54 USD). 1 EUR = 131 VUV (1,000 VUV = 7.62 EUR).

USD to TWD in detail →

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Taipei Norsup 6,750 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Norsup: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taipei wins on cost – living expenses run 144% lower than in Norsup. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Taipei the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 490% higher in Taipei, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Norsup. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,395 per month in Taipei versus $3,410 in Norsup – a 144% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,395 in Taipei versus $3,410 in Norsup, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Taipei but tight or insufficient in Norsup. The gap between the two cities makes Taipei 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 Norsup 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 Taipei gentler on the wallet – expenses run 144% less than in Norsup. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.