Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and Taichung Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and Taichung

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,371 in Taipei versus $1,148 in Taichung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Taipei versus $1,904 in Taichung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,104 in Taipei versus $2,659 in Taichung.

Living in Taipei is roughly 19% more expensive than in Taichung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Taipei is 0% above, Taichung is 16% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.62 NT$146

$4.83 NT$153

-4.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.10 NT$1,523

$32.11 NT$1,017

49.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.87 NT$186

$4.78 NT$151

22.80%

Cappuccino

$3.44 NT$109

$2.74 NT$86.9

25.55%

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

$0.92 NT$29.16

$0.99 NT$31.31

-7.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 NT$20.96

$0.76 NT$24.12

-13.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 NT$87.4

$1.60 NT$50.6

72.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 NT$119

$2.85 NT$90.4

31.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.04 NT$96.3

$3.17 NT$101

-4.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 NT$62.3

$1.76 NT$55.9

11.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 NT$96.0

$2.67 NT$84.4

13.48%

Eggs

$2.77 NT$87.9

$2.50 NT$79.3

10.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.90 NT$630

$28.55 NT$904

-30.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.95 NT$315

$7.72 NT$245

28.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.25 NT$673

$16.58 NT$525

28.17%

Apples (1kg)

$5.04 NT$160

$4.19 NT$133

20.29%

Banana (1kg)

$3.36 NT$106

$1.96 NT$62.2

71.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 NT$98.8

$1.85 NT$58.7

68.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.46 NT$141

$2.24 NT$70.9

99.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 NT$88.8

$1.24 NT$39.41

125.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 NT$73.5

$1.92 NT$60.8

20.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 NT$54.3

$2.41 NT$76.3

-29.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 NT$37.30

$0.90 NT$28.35

31.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 NT$124

$3.85 NT$122

1.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.43 NT$457

$16.07 NT$509

-10.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 NT$52.8

$1.62 NT$51.3

3.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 NT$73.1

$2.48 NT$78.5

-6.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 NT$21.97

$0.74 NT$23.39

-6.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.23 NT$1,179

$31.80 NT$1,007

17.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 NT$85.4

$2.62 NT$83.0

3.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 NT$23.83

$0.93 NT$29.58

-19.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.50 NT$301

$9.67 NT$306

-1.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 NT$32.10

$1.05 NT$33.41

-3.81%

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

$33.8K NT$1.1M

$33.3K NT$1.1M

1.34%

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

$24.1K NT$763.6K

$23.3K NT$738.3K

3.42%

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

$85.7 NT$2,714

$110 NT$3,474

-21.88%

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

$18.27 NT$579

$15.30 NT$485

19.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.88 NT$883

$20.93 NT$663

33.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.07 NT$1,301

$32.98 NT$1,044

24.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.95 NT$505

$13.13 NT$416

21.48%

Cinema Ticket

$9.66 NT$306

$10.01 NT$317

-3.50%

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

$633 NT$20.0K

$336 NT$10.6K

88.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K NT$534.2K

$16.8K NT$533.1K

0.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 NT$1,955

$67.9 NT$2,151

-9.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.47 NT$1,282

$36.17 NT$1,146

11.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 NT$2,655

$85.6 NT$2,711

-2.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 NT$3,396

$109 NT$3,459

-1.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$866 NT$27.4K

$401 NT$12.7K

116.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$494 NT$15.7K

$283 NT$8,965

74.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 NT$49.8K

$1,237 NT$39.2K

27.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$955 NT$30.3K

$747 NT$23.7K

27.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.7K NT$401.0K

$7,108 NT$225.1K

78.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,665 NT$242.8K

$5,222 NT$165.4K

46.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,716 NT$54.3K

$1,393 NT$44.1K

23.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.4

2.27

5.73%

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

Last update for Taipei: August 31, 2026

Last update for Taichung: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $866 in Taipei and $401 in Taichung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taipei pays 23% 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 $32.00 in Taichung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $402 vs $369 per month, with Taichung 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 Taichung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taichung wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Taipei. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Taichung the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 23% 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 $401 in Taichung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Taichung – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $48.00 in Taipei. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,371 per month in Taipei versus $1,148 in Taichung – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,148 in Taichung versus $1,371 in Taipei, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Taichung but tight or insufficient in Taipei. The gap between the two cities makes Taichung 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 Taichung 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 Taichung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Taipei. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.