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: $1,494 in Taipei versus $1,037 in Shenzhen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,394 in Taipei versus $1,659 in Shenzhen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,295 in Taipei versus $2,280 in Shenzhen.

Living in Taipei is roughly 44% more expensive than Shenzhen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Taipei is 11% above, Shenzhen is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.64 NT$209

$3.13 ¥21.18

112.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.45 NT$1,274

$27.51 ¥186

47.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 NT$183

$5.06 ¥34.26

14.43%

Cappuccino

$3.75 NT$118

$3.33 ¥22.52

12.61%

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

$1.13 NT$35.45

$0.48 ¥3.25

135.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 NT$22.77

$0.28 ¥1.89

157.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 NT$104

$1.22 ¥8.29

171.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 NT$104

$2.83 ¥19.14

16.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.12 NT$98.3

$1.73 ¥11.72

80.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 NT$62.4

$1.97 ¥13.36

0.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 NT$96.6

$1.23 ¥8.35

149.59%

Eggs

$2.91 NT$91.8

$1.94 ¥13.10

50.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.73 NT$621

$12.76 ¥86.3

54.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.90 NT$312

$4.05 ¥27.43

144.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.36 NT$641

$13.47 ¥91.2

51.15%

Apples (1kg)

$5.15 NT$162

$1.88 ¥12.69

173.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 NT$91.9

$1.41 ¥9.54

107.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 NT$90.9

$1.82 ¥12.33

58.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.26 NT$134

$1.34 ¥9.09

217.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 NT$88.0

$1.05 ¥7.10

165.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 NT$69.1

$1.46 ¥9.91

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 NT$62.1

$0.71 ¥4.78

177.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 NT$43.76

$0.57 ¥3.83

143.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 NT$126

$3.38 ¥22.88

18.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.48 NT$456

$12.92 ¥87.4

12.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 NT$55.2

$0.94 ¥6.39

86.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 NT$76.2

$1.87 ¥12.65

29.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 NT$28.07

$0.40 ¥2.72

122.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.16 NT$1,297

$21.76 ¥147

89.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 NT$91.7

$1.63 ¥11.02

78.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 NT$24.97

$0.35 ¥2.36

125.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.05 NT$316

$7.02 ¥47.49

43.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 NT$33.66

$1.18 ¥7.99

-9.32%

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

$38.1K NT$1.2M

$22.9K ¥154.9K

66.66%

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

$27.9K NT$878.4K

$20.7K ¥140.3K

34.49%

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

$84.9 NT$2,675

$65.3 ¥442

29.96%

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

$18.69 NT$589

$8.20 ¥55.5

127.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.75 NT$780

$13.05 ¥88.3

89.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.03 NT$1,324

$50.3 ¥340

-16.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.06 NT$443

$17.39 ¥118

-19.15%

Cinema Ticket

$11.84 NT$373

$6.86 ¥46.46

72.59%

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

$626 NT$19.7K

$457 ¥3,092

37.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.6K NT$587.0K

$20.8K ¥141.1K

-10.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 NT$1,856

$49.25 ¥333

19.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.01 NT$1,072

$30.67 ¥208

10.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 NT$2,997

$74.2 ¥502

28.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 NT$3,894

$80.2 ¥543

54.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$789 NT$24.8K

$737 ¥4,987

7.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$541 NT$17.0K

$411 ¥2,783

31.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,667 NT$52.5K

$1,692 ¥11.4K

-1.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,113 NT$35.1K

$903 ¥6,112

23.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K NT$431.0K

$13.1K ¥89.0K

4.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,450 NT$266.2K

$6,222 ¥42.1K

35.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,713 NT$54.0K

$1,665 ¥11.3K

2.85%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Shenzhen: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $789 in Taipei and $737 in Shenzhen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taipei pays 3% 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: $40.00 in Taipei vs $28.00 in Shenzhen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $401 vs $230 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 44% 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.

Taipei pays 3% more on average, 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: $789 in Taipei versus $737 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 89% less than in Taipei. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $626 in Taipei versus $457 in Shenzhen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,037 in Shenzhen versus $1,494 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 44% less than in Taipei. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.