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 $1,497 per month in Taipei vs $1,143 in Pingtung city, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,333 per month in Taipei vs $1,888 in Pingtung city, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,168 per month in Taipei vs $2,633 in Pingtung city, rent included.

Taipei costs about 31% more than Pingtung city, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Taipei sits 12% above the global median, while Pingtung city is 14% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.62 NT$214

$4.96 NT$160

33.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.86 NT$1,288

$31.08 NT$1,004

28.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 NT$181

$5.35 NT$173

4.49%

Cappuccino

$3.93 NT$127

$2.93 NT$94.8

34.13%

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

$1.16 NT$37.64

$1.03 NT$33.16

12.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 NT$24.22

$0.73 NT$23.50

2.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 NT$111

$1.67 NT$53.8

106.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 NT$112

$2.65 NT$85.6

30.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.16 NT$102

$3.89 NT$126

-18.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 NT$60.9

$1.98 NT$64.1

-5.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 NT$98.0

$2.73 NT$88.1

10.99%

Eggs

$2.85 NT$92.0

$3.28 NT$106

-13.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.35 NT$658

$16.00 NT$517

27.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 NT$327

$7.99 NT$258

26.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.00 NT$646

$16.07 NT$519

24.46%

Apples (1kg)

$5.03 NT$163

$4.58 NT$148

9.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 NT$92.7

$1.74 NT$56.4

64.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 NT$93.8

$2.17 NT$70.2

33.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 NT$135

$2.98 NT$96.4

40.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 NT$92.5

$1.28 NT$41.34

123.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 NT$72.5

$1.94 NT$62.7

15.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 NT$62.9

$1.93 NT$62.4

1.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 NT$42.46

$1.18 NT$38.18

11.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 NT$134

$4.05 NT$131

2.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.82 NT$447

$15.23 NT$492

-9.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 NT$58.3

$1.67 NT$54.1

7.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 NT$76.5

$2.54 NT$82.0

-6.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 NT$27.79

$0.88 NT$28.35

-2.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.26 NT$1,333

$38.78 NT$1,253

6.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 NT$95.1

$2.91 NT$93.9

1.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 NT$23.92

$0.79 NT$25.65

-6.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.32 NT$333

$6.00 NT$194

72.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 NT$33.47

$1.01 NT$32.50

2.97%

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

$38.7K NT$1.2M

$33.7K NT$1.1M

14.74%

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

$27.6K NT$892.5K

$25.2K NT$815.4K

9.45%

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

$86.2 NT$2,784

$95.2 NT$3,075

-9.46%

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

$18.64 NT$602

$24.36 NT$787

-23.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.48 NT$791

$21.40 NT$691

14.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.54 NT$1,342

$37.18 NT$1,201

11.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.88 NT$448

$15.00 NT$485

-7.47%

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 NT$378

$10.11 NT$327

15.83%

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

$643 NT$20.8K

$359 NT$11.6K

79.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K NT$609.1K

$11.2K NT$363.3K

67.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 NT$1,923

$83.1 NT$2,685

-28.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.40 NT$1,079

$34.98 NT$1,130

-4.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 NT$3,002

$88.2 NT$2,851

5.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 NT$3,920

$99.7 NT$3,222

21.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$795 NT$25.7K

$439 NT$14.2K

81.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$539 NT$17.4K

$293 NT$9,458

84.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 NT$53.3K

$1,058 NT$34.2K

56.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,082 NT$34.9K

$726 NT$23.5K

48.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.8K NT$414.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,600 NT$245.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,716 NT$55.4K

$1,912 NT$61.8K

-10.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.19

2.18

0.46%

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

Last update for Taipei: July 12, 2026

Last update for Pingtung city: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $795 in Taipei versus $439 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 11% 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 $40.00 in Taipei versus $31.00 in Pingtung city. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $398 vs $349 – 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: $1,497 in Taipei, $1,143 in Pingtung city – roughly 31% apart. Taipei costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,246 per month in Taipei and $1,714 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 $1,497 in Taipei and $1,143 in Pingtung city. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 6% less in Pingtung city. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pingtung city, where all-in costs run around $1,143, than in Taipei at $1,497. 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.