Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and Seongnam Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and Seongnam

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,384 per month in Taipei vs $1,385 in Seongnam, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,233 per month in Taipei vs $2,325 in Seongnam, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Taipei vs $3,266 in Seongnam, rent included.

Taipei and Seongnam have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Taipei and Seongnam sit above the global median – Taipei by 1%, Seongnam by 1%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.61 NT$147

$6.59 ₩9,094

-30.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.83 NT$1,492

$40.85 ₩56.4K

14.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.54 NT$177

$6.72 ₩9,279

-17.56%

Cappuccino

$3.46 NT$110

$4.18 ₩5,769

-17.22%

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

$0.92 NT$29.46

$1.58 ₩2,175

-41.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 NT$19.84

$0.82 ₩1,125

-24.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.78 NT$88.6

$3.42 ₩4,719

-18.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 NT$122

$3.76 ₩5,184

1.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.11 NT$99.1

$2.26 ₩3,121

37.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 NT$62.7

$3.01 ₩4,161

-34.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.17 NT$101

$3.65 ₩5,043

-13.15%

Eggs

$2.81 NT$89.6

$3.41 ₩4,702

-17.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.49 NT$621

$9.56 ₩13.2K

103.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.00 NT$319

$7.96 ₩11.0K

25.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.90 NT$698

$21.84 ₩30.1K

0.27%

Apples (1kg)

$4.80 NT$153

$7.66 ₩10.6K

-37.34%

Banana (1kg)

$3.25 NT$103

$3.46 ₩4,772

-6.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 NT$95.1

$5.62 ₩7,752

-46.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 NT$139

$6.91 ₩9,540

-37.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 NT$86.0

$3.66 ₩5,049

-26.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 NT$72.7

$2.57 ₩3,541

-11.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 NT$54.3

$2.76 ₩3,812

-38.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 NT$37.24

$1.26 ₩1,741

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.02 NT$128

$3.35 ₩4,624

20.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.29 NT$455

$18.77 ₩25.9K

-23.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 NT$52.7

$2.07 ₩2,862

-19.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 NT$70.8

$1.85 ₩2,553

20.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 NT$19.39

$1.04 ₩1,440

-41.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.17 NT$1,216

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 NT$87.1

$3.56 ₩4,911

-23.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 NT$25.62

$0.60 ₩831

33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.18 NT$292

$9.03 ₩12.5K

1.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 NT$33.61

$1.39 ₩1,920

-23.74%

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

$34.0K NT$1.1M

$29.1K ₩40.2M

16.57%

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

$24.4K NT$778.1K

$28.2K ₩39.0M

-13.45%

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

$83.2 NT$2,650

$203 ₩279.9K

-58.98%

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

$17.73 NT$565

$36.87 ₩50.9K

-51.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.05 NT$893

$20.09 ₩27.7K

39.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.43 NT$1,319

$56.5 ₩78.0K

-26.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.34 NT$520

$11.96 ₩16.5K

36.62%

Cinema Ticket

$9.51 NT$303

$11.02 ₩15.2K

-13.70%

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

$615 NT$19.6K

$571 ₩787.8K

7.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K NT$544.4K

$17.7K ₩24.5M

-3.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 NT$1,996

$57.5 ₩79.4K

8.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.32 NT$1,284

$32.44 ₩44.8K

24.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 NT$2,697

$69.6 ₩96.1K

21.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 NT$3,339

$81.8 ₩112.9K

28.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$898 NT$28.6K

$443 ₩611.4K

102.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$490 NT$15.6K

$357 ₩493.3K

37.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,550 NT$49.4K

$1,151 ₩1.6M

34.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$971 NT$30.9K

$1,042 ₩1.4M

-6.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.2K NT$389.8K

$7,019 ₩9.7M

74.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,708 NT$245.5K

$5,522 ₩7.6M

39.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,714 NT$54.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.4

4.08

-41.18%

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

Last update for Taipei: September 13, 2026

Last update for Seongnam: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $898 in Taipei versus $443 in Seongnam. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Taipei versus $41.00 in Seongnam. Groceries tell a different story – $401 in Taipei vs $425 in Seongnam – so Taipei wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Seongnam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,077 per month in Taipei and $2,077 in Seongnam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $615 per month in Taipei and $571 in Seongnam. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Seongnam, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Taipei, where all-in costs run around $1,384, than in Seongnam at $1,385. In Taipei it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seongnam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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