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: $1,494 in Taipei versus $1,175 in Taichung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,394 in Taipei versus $1,977 in Taichung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,295 in Taipei versus $2,779 in Taichung.

Living in Taipei is roughly 27% more expensive than Taichung, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Taipei is 11% above, Taichung is 12% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.64 NT$209

$5.17 NT$163

28.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.45 NT$1,273

$30.14 NT$949

34.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 NT$182

$5.48 NT$172

5.66%

Cappuccino

$3.75 NT$118

$3.03 NT$95.5

23.76%

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

$1.13 NT$35.42

$1.16 NT$36.61

-2.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 NT$22.75

$0.86 NT$27.02

-16.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 NT$104

$2.19 NT$68.9

51.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 NT$104

$2.93 NT$92.4

12.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.12 NT$98.2

$3.86 NT$122

-19.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 NT$62.3

$1.74 NT$54.9

13.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 NT$96.5

$2.82 NT$88.7

8.87%

Eggs

$2.91 NT$91.7

$3.27 NT$103

-11.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.73 NT$621

$31.67 NT$997

-37.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.90 NT$311

$8.26 NT$260

19.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.36 NT$641

$16.07 NT$506

26.70%

Apples (1kg)

$5.15 NT$162

$4.64 NT$146

10.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 NT$91.8

$1.76 NT$55.5

65.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 NT$90.8

$2.26 NT$71.0

27.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.26 NT$134

$2.97 NT$93.6

43.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 NT$88.0

$1.27 NT$40.12

119.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 NT$69.1

$1.97 NT$62.1

11.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 NT$62.1

$2.36 NT$74.3

-16.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 NT$43.72

$1.30 NT$40.95

6.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 NT$126

$3.96 NT$125

1.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.48 NT$456

$16.23 NT$511

-10.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 NT$55.1

$1.71 NT$53.8

2.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 NT$76.2

$2.66 NT$83.7

-9.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 NT$28.05

$0.94 NT$29.57

-5.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.16 NT$1,296

$28.86 NT$908

42.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 NT$91.6

$2.92 NT$92.1

-0.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 NT$24.94

$1.24 NT$38.97

-36.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.05 NT$316

$10.25 NT$323

-1.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 NT$33.63

$1.05 NT$33.02

1.90%

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

$38.1K NT$1.2M

$34.5K NT$1.1M

10.44%

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

$27.9K NT$877.6K

$26.0K NT$816.9K

7.43%

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

$84.9 NT$2,672

$96.6 NT$3,042

-12.15%

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

$18.69 NT$588

$24.51 NT$771

-23.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.75 NT$779

$22.07 NT$695

12.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.03 NT$1,323

$36.44 NT$1,147

15.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.06 NT$443

$10.09 NT$318

39.35%

Cinema Ticket

$11.84 NT$373

$10.52 NT$331

12.55%

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

$626 NT$19.7K

$355 NT$11.2K

76.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.6K NT$586.5K

$20.9K NT$656.8K

-10.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 NT$1,855

$84.1 NT$2,646

-29.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.01 NT$1,071

$34.06 NT$1,072

-0.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 NT$2,995

$96.9 NT$3,049

-1.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 NT$3,891

$130 NT$4,092

-4.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$789 NT$24.8K

$379 NT$11.9K

108.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$541 NT$17.0K

$292 NT$9,184

85.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,667 NT$52.5K

$1,056 NT$33.2K

57.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,113 NT$35.0K

$731 NT$23.0K

52.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K NT$430.6K

$7,297 NT$229.7K

87.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,450 NT$266.0K

$5,260 NT$165.6K

60.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,713 NT$53.9K

$1,420 NT$44.7K

20.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.19

2.18

0.46%

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

Last update for Taipei: June 1, 2026

Last update for Taichung: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $789 in Taipei and $379 in Taichung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taipei pays 21% 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 $30.00 in Taichung. Groceries flip the comparison at $401 vs $402, with Taipei cheaper for home cooking.

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 27% 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.

Taipei pays 21% 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 $379 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 $30.00 versus $40.00 in Taipei. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,494 per month in Taipei versus $1,175 in Taichung – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,175 in Taichung versus $1,494 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 27% less than in Taipei. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.