Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and Pingtung city Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and Pingtung city

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,371 per month in Taipei vs $910 in Pingtung city, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,237 per month in Taipei vs $1,486 in Pingtung city, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,104 per month in Taipei vs $2,062 in Pingtung city, rent included.

Taipei costs about 51% more than Pingtung city, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Taipei sits 0% above the global median, while Pingtung city is 34% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.62 NT$147

$5.44 NT$173

-15.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.10 NT$1,526

$30.94 NT$982

55.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.87 NT$186

$4.74 NT$150

23.84%

Cappuccino

$3.44 NT$109

$2.78 NT$88.1

23.74%

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

$0.92 NT$29.21

$1.00 NT$31.63

-8.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 NT$21.00

$0.67 NT$21.26

-1.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 NT$87.6

$1.48 NT$46.89

86.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 NT$119

$2.49 NT$79.2

50.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.04 NT$96.5

$3.29 NT$104

-7.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 NT$62.4

$2.15 NT$68.2

-8.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 NT$96.1

$2.80 NT$88.9

8.21%

Eggs

$2.77 NT$88.0

$2.59 NT$82.3

6.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.90 NT$631

$15.09 NT$479

31.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.95 NT$316

$8.03 NT$255

23.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.25 NT$674

$15.60 NT$495

36.22%

Apples (1kg)

$5.04 NT$160

$4.27 NT$135

18.03%

Banana (1kg)

$3.36 NT$107

$1.89 NT$60.0

77.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 NT$99.0

$1.84 NT$58.3

69.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.46 NT$142

$3.26 NT$104

36.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 NT$88.9

$1.21 NT$38.25

131.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 NT$73.6

$1.94 NT$61.6

19.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 NT$54.4

$2.43 NT$77.0

-29.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 NT$37.37

$0.92 NT$29.17

28.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 NT$124

$3.96 NT$126

-1.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.43 NT$458

$15.97 NT$507

-9.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 NT$52.8

$1.61 NT$51.1

3.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 NT$73.2

$2.24 NT$71.2

3.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 NT$22.01

$0.46 NT$14.53

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.23 NT$1,181

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 NT$85.5

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 NT$23.87

$0.82 NT$26.07

-8.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.50 NT$302

$6.22 NT$197

52.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 NT$32.15

$1.06 NT$33.60

-4.72%

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

$33.8K NT$1.1M

$34.4K NT$1.1M

-1.64%

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

$24.1K NT$764.8K

$23.6K NT$747.9K

2.26%

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

$85.7 NT$2,719

$110 NT$3,487

-22.04%

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

$18.27 NT$580

$14.75 NT$468

23.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.88 NT$885

$26.36 NT$836

5.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.07 NT$1,303

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.95 NT$506

Cinema Ticket

$9.66 NT$307

$9.86 NT$313

-2.03%

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

$633 NT$20.1K

$344 NT$10.9K

83.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K NT$535.1K

$14.4K NT$458.1K

16.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 NT$1,958

$69.4 NT$2,203

-11.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.47 NT$1,284

$34.87 NT$1,106

16.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 NT$2,659

$83.9 NT$2,660

-0.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 NT$3,402

$101 NT$3,201

6.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$866 NT$27.5K

$253 NT$8,028

242.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$494 NT$15.7K

$161 NT$5,104

207.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 NT$49.9K

$738 NT$23.4K

112.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$955 NT$30.3K

$373 NT$11.8K

156.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.7K NT$401.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,665 NT$243.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,716 NT$54.4K

$1,960 NT$62.2K

-12.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.4

2.27

5.73%

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

Last update for Taipei: August 31, 2026

Last update for Pingtung city: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $866 in Taipei versus $253 in Pingtung city. 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 14% higher in Pingtung city, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Taipei versus $31.00 in Pingtung city. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $402 vs $337 – making Pingtung city the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Pingtung city: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,371 in Taipei, $910 in Pingtung city – roughly 51% apart. Taipei costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,056 per month in Taipei and $1,364 in Pingtung city. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,371 in Taipei and $910 in Pingtung city. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $633 per month in Taipei and $344 in Pingtung city. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pingtung city, where all-in costs run around $910, than in Taipei at $1,371. In Pingtung city it covers expenses comfortably, while in Taipei it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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