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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,466 per month in Taipei vs $1,640 in Seongnam, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,363 per month in Taipei vs $2,448 in Seongnam, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,259 per month in Taipei vs $3,256 in Seongnam, rent included.

Taipei is about 11% cheaper than Seongnam, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Taipei and Seongnam sit above the global median – Taipei by 10%, Seongnam by 22%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.61 NT$208

$6.04 ₩8,895

9.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.06 NT$1,293

$42.21 ₩62.2K

-2.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 NT$177

$4.44 ₩6,546

26.35%

Cappuccino

$3.86 NT$121

$3.76 ₩5,543

2.66%

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

$1.12 NT$35.41

$1.55 ₩2,278

-27.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 NT$25.11

$0.79 ₩1,169

1.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 NT$104

$2.50 ₩3,687

32.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 NT$107

$3.72 ₩5,488

-8.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.27 NT$103

$2.14 ₩3,146

52.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 NT$60.2

$2.12 ₩3,124

-9.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 NT$98.6

$3.22 ₩4,749

-2.80%

Eggs

$2.93 NT$92.2

$3.07 ₩4,526

-4.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.24 NT$637

$8.96 ₩13.2K

125.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.73 NT$306

$7.78 ₩11.5K

25.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.05 NT$631

$33.70 ₩49.7K

-40.50%

Apples (1kg)

$5.10 NT$161

$7.92 ₩11.7K

-35.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.99 NT$94.2

$3.47 ₩5,106

-13.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 NT$91.1

$5.67 ₩8,360

-49.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 NT$130

$6.40 ₩9,428

-35.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.94 NT$92.4

$3.52 ₩5,190

-16.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 NT$68.1

$2.88 ₩4,250

-25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 NT$59.1

$2.55 ₩3,761

-26.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 NT$41.81

$0.94 ₩1,382

41.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 NT$130

$3.38 ₩4,976

22.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.79 NT$466

$16.64 ₩24.5K

-11.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 NT$57.5

$1.79 ₩2,644

2.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 NT$75.8

$1.88 ₩2,766

28.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 NT$25.60

$1.04 ₩1,539

-22.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.43 NT$1,273

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 NT$92.4

$3.50 ₩5,164

-16.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 NT$23.04

$0.57 ₩846

28.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.33 NT$325

$8.72 ₩12.9K

18.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 NT$33.62

$1.24 ₩1,825

-13.71%

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

$38.2K NT$1.2M

$27.8K ₩41.0M

37.14%

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

$27.5K NT$866.1K

$25.1K ₩37.0M

9.65%

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

$83.9 NT$2,640

$163 ₩239.4K

-48.39%

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

$18.83 NT$593

$34.58 ₩50.9K

-45.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.50 NT$771

$22.44 ₩33.1K

9.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.71 NT$1,313

$48.10 ₩70.9K

-13.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.81 NT$435

Cinema Ticket

$11.98 NT$377

$10.95 ₩16.1K

9.41%

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

$646 NT$20.3K

$411 ₩605.7K

57.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K NT$593.5K

$23.6K ₩34.8M

-20.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 NT$1,848

$59.5 ₩87.7K

-1.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.99 NT$1,038

$47.41 ₩69.9K

-30.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 NT$2,915

$79.3 ₩116.8K

16.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 NT$3,801

$117 ₩171.9K

3.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$795 NT$25.0K

$449 ₩662.1K

76.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$538 NT$16.9K

$654 ₩964.0K

-17.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,652 NT$52.0K

$1,075 ₩1.6M

53.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,106 NT$34.8K

$1,047 ₩1.5M

5.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.2K NT$445.6K

$12.2K ₩18.0M

15.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,454 NT$266.1K

$5,803 ₩8.5M

45.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,657 NT$52.2K

$3,453 ₩5.1M

-52.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.19

4.14

-47.10%

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

Last update for Taipei: April 26, 2026

Last update for Seongnam: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $795 in Taipei versus $449 in Seongnam. 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 108% higher in Seongnam, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41 in Taipei versus $42 in Seongnam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $401 vs $433 – making Taipei 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 Seongnam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,466 in Taipei, $1,640 in Seongnam – roughly 12% apart. Seongnam costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,200 per month in Taipei and $2,460 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,466 in Taipei and $1,640 in Seongnam. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $646 per month in Taipei and $411 in Seongnam. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Taipei, where all-in costs run around $1,466, than in Seongnam at $1,640. 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.