Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and Shenzhen Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and Shenzhen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,497 in Taipei versus $1,032 in Shenzhen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,333 in Taipei versus $1,649 in Shenzhen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,168 in Taipei versus $2,266 in Shenzhen.

Living in Taipei is roughly 45% more expensive than in Shenzhen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Taipei is 12% above, Shenzhen is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.62 NT$214

$3.13 ¥21.17

111.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.86 NT$1,290

$27.60 ¥187

44.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 NT$181

$4.87 ¥32.97

14.78%

Cappuccino

$3.93 NT$127

$3.32 ¥22.46

18.37%

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

$1.16 NT$37.70

$0.48 ¥3.27

141.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 NT$24.26

$0.28 ¥1.89

167.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 NT$112

$1.21 ¥8.22

185.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 NT$112

$2.77 ¥18.76

24.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.16 NT$102

$1.75 ¥11.83

80.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 NT$61.0

$1.97 ¥13.33

-4.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 NT$98.2

$1.18 ¥7.97

156.78%

Eggs

$2.85 NT$92.2

$1.92 ¥12.96

48.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.35 NT$659

$12.69 ¥85.9

60.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 NT$327

$3.93 ¥26.61

157.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.00 NT$647

$13.38 ¥90.6

49.48%

Apples (1kg)

$5.03 NT$163

$1.87 ¥12.63

168.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 NT$92.8

$1.46 ¥9.90

96.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 NT$94.0

$1.82 ¥12.29

59.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 NT$135

$1.39 ¥9.44

200.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 NT$92.6

$1.09 ¥7.40

162.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 NT$72.6

$1.42 ¥9.61

57.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 NT$63.0

$0.75 ¥5.05

160.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 NT$42.53

$0.57 ¥3.85

129.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 NT$134

$3.39 ¥22.94

22.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.82 NT$447

$12.61 ¥85.4

9.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 NT$58.4

$0.93 ¥6.27

93.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 NT$76.6

$1.90 ¥12.87

24.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 NT$27.84

$0.44 ¥2.98

95.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.26 NT$1,335

$22.23 ¥150

85.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 NT$95.2

$1.69 ¥11.40

73.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 NT$23.96

$0.37 ¥2.54

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.32 NT$334

$6.75 ¥45.65

52.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 NT$33.53

$1.14 ¥7.72

-8.77%

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

$38.7K NT$1.3M

$22.7K ¥153.7K

70.30%

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

$27.6K NT$894.0K

$20.7K ¥140.0K

33.57%

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

$86.2 NT$2,789

$65.3 ¥442

31.88%

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

$18.64 NT$603

$8.39 ¥56.8

122.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.48 NT$792

$13.08 ¥88.5

87.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.54 NT$1,345

$50.9 ¥345

-18.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.88 NT$449

$17.60 ¥119

-21.14%

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 NT$379

$7.08 ¥47.89

65.40%

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

$643 NT$20.8K

$467 ¥3,159

37.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K NT$610.1K

$20.7K ¥140.0K

-8.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 NT$1,926

$48.53 ¥328

22.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.40 NT$1,081

$30.27 ¥205

10.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 NT$3,007

$74.7 ¥506

24.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 NT$3,926

$79.3 ¥537

53.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$795 NT$25.7K

$732 ¥4,953

8.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$539 NT$17.4K

$410 ¥2,777

31.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 NT$53.4K

$1,699 ¥11.5K

-2.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,082 NT$35.0K

$910 ¥6,157

18.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.8K NT$415.4K

$12.9K ¥87.4K

-0.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,600 NT$246.0K

$6,000 ¥40.6K

26.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,716 NT$55.5K

$1,720 ¥11.6K

-0.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.19

4.04

-45.79%

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

Last update for Taipei: July 12, 2026

Last update for Shenzhen: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $795 in Taipei and $732 in Shenzhen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 0% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $40.00 in Taipei vs $28.00 in Shenzhen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $398 vs $229 per month, with Shenzhen cheaper across the board.

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 Shenzhen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shenzhen wins on cost – living expenses run 45% lower than in Taipei. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Shenzhen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 0% lower in Shenzhen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $795 in Taipei versus $732 in Shenzhen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Shenzhen runs roughly 86% less than in Taipei. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $643 in Taipei versus $467 in Shenzhen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,032 in Shenzhen versus $1,497 in Taipei, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Shenzhen but tight or insufficient in Taipei. The gap between the two cities makes Shenzhen 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 Shenzhen 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 Shenzhen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Taipei. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.