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: $1,371 in Taipei versus $1,139 in Shenzhen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Taipei versus $1,731 in Shenzhen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,104 in Taipei versus $2,322 in Shenzhen.

Living in Taipei is roughly 20% more expensive than in Shenzhen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Taipei is 0% above, Shenzhen is 17% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.62 NT$146

$4.02 ¥26.96

14.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.10 NT$1,523

$29.93 ¥201

60.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.87 NT$186

$5.28 ¥35.43

11.17%

Cappuccino

$3.44 NT$109

$3.36 ¥22.52

2.38%

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

$0.92 NT$29.16

$0.54 ¥3.64

70.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 NT$20.96

$0.36 ¥2.39

83.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 NT$87.4

$1.46 ¥9.78

89.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 NT$119

$2.25 ¥15.11

66.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.04 NT$96.3

$1.63 ¥10.94

86.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 NT$62.3

$1.79 ¥12.02

10.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 NT$96.0

$1.18 ¥7.89

156.78%

Eggs

$2.77 NT$87.9

$1.69 ¥11.34

63.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.90 NT$630

$22.03 ¥148

-9.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.95 NT$315

$3.62 ¥24.26

174.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.25 NT$673

$14.16 ¥95.0

50.07%

Apples (1kg)

$5.04 NT$160

$2.19 ¥14.67

130.14%

Banana (1kg)

$3.36 NT$106

$1.55 ¥10.40

116.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 NT$98.8

$1.89 ¥12.71

65.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.46 NT$141

$1.48 ¥9.91

201.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 NT$88.8

$1.18 ¥7.95

137.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 NT$73.5

$1.53 ¥10.30

51.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 NT$54.3

$0.54 ¥3.64

216.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 NT$37.30

$0.58 ¥3.90

103.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 NT$124

$4.54 ¥30.44

-14.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.43 NT$457

$12.65 ¥84.9

14.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 NT$52.8

$0.91 ¥6.09

83.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 NT$73.1

$1.85 ¥12.40

24.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 NT$21.97

$0.61 ¥4.13

13.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.23 NT$1,179

$22.16 ¥149

68.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 NT$85.4

$1.47 ¥9.89

83.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 NT$23.83

$0.40 ¥2.69

87.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.50 NT$301

$7.25 ¥48.68

31.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 NT$32.10

$1.25 ¥8.37

-19.20%

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

$33.8K NT$1.1M

$19.1K ¥127.9K

77.22%

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

$24.1K NT$763.6K

$18.1K ¥121.7K

32.92%

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

$85.7 NT$2,714

$61.6 ¥413

39.20%

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

$18.27 NT$579

$9.91 ¥66.5

84.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.88 NT$883

$15.09 ¥101

84.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.07 NT$1,301

$49.53 ¥332

-17.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.95 NT$505

$16.99 ¥114

-6.12%

Cinema Ticket

$9.66 NT$306

$7.35 ¥49.34

31.43%

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

$633 NT$20.0K

$525 ¥3,521

20.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K NT$534.2K

$24.0K ¥161.3K

-29.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 NT$1,955

$49.95 ¥335

23.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.47 NT$1,282

$40.26 ¥270

0.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 NT$2,655

$69.2 ¥465

21.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 NT$3,396

$86.2 ¥578

24.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$866 NT$27.4K

$768 ¥5,151

12.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$494 NT$15.7K

$466 ¥3,129

5.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 NT$49.8K

$1,818 ¥12.2K

-13.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$955 NT$30.3K

$855 ¥5,740

11.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.7K NT$401.0K

$13.4K ¥90.1K

-5.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,665 NT$242.8K

$6,284 ¥42.2K

21.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,716 NT$54.3K

$1,688 ¥11.3K

1.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.4

3.4

-29.41%

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

Last update for Taipei: August 31, 2026

Last update for Shenzhen: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $866 in Taipei and $768 in Shenzhen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taipei pays 2% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $48.00 in Taipei vs $30.00 in Shenzhen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $402 vs $257 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 20% 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.

Average pay runs 2% higher in Taipei, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $866 in Taipei versus $768 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 68% less than in Taipei. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $633 in Taipei versus $525 in Shenzhen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,139 in Shenzhen versus $1,371 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 20% less than in Taipei. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.