Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and Taichung

For one person, living is cheaper in Taichung: $1,143 a month against $1,395 in Taipei, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

67

Cost of Living Index in Taipei
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Taipei Living Index
56

Cost of Living Index in Taichung
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Taichung Living Index

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Taipei

🇹🇼 Taiwan

$1,395

/mo nomad

Taichung

🇹🇼 Taiwan

$1,143

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Taipei and in Taichung

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Taipei and in Taichung actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,395 in Taipei versus $1,143 in Taichung.

Taipei $1,395
Taichung $1,143

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,227 in Taipei versus $1,887 in Taichung.

Taipei $2,227
Taichung $1,887

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,059 in Taipei versus $2,631 in Taichung.

Taipei $3,059
Taichung $2,631

Living in Taipei is roughly 22% more expensive than in Taichung, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Taipei is 4% above, Taichung is 15% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.76 NT$152

$4.68 NT$149

1.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.18 NT$1,537

$32.12 NT$1,025

50.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.75 NT$183

$4.85 NT$155

18.56%

Cappuccino

$3.49 NT$112

$2.75 NT$87.6

26.91%

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

$0.88 NT$28.03

$1.03 NT$32.80

-14.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 NT$20.61

$0.74 NT$23.56

-12.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.86 NT$91.4

$1.56 NT$49.69

83.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 NT$117

$2.78 NT$88.7

32.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.09 NT$98.5

$3.27 NT$104

-5.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 NT$65.5

$1.76 NT$56.2

16.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.06 NT$97.5

$2.66 NT$84.7

15.04%

Eggs

$2.70 NT$86.0

$2.62 NT$83.7

3.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.66 NT$627

$29.33 NT$936

-32.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 NT$314

$8.13 NT$259

20.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.11 NT$674

$17.14 NT$547

23.16%

Apples (1kg)

$5.08 NT$162

$4.22 NT$135

20.38%

Banana (1kg)

$3.39 NT$108

$1.92 NT$61.3

76.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 NT$95.8

$2.99 NT$95.3

0.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.56 NT$146

$2.15 NT$68.6

112.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 NT$86.8

$1.20 NT$38.28

126.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 NT$72.9

$1.97 NT$62.9

15.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 NT$53.7

$2.40 NT$76.7

-30.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 NT$36.81

$0.90 NT$28.80

27.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.05 NT$129

$3.75 NT$120

8.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.32 NT$457

$15.53 NT$495

-7.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 NT$54.2

$1.64 NT$52.3

3.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 NT$73.0

$2.47 NT$78.8

-7.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 NT$19.46

$0.72 NT$23.05

-15.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.47 NT$1,228

$31.97 NT$1,020

20.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 NT$87.0

$2.70 NT$86.1

1.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 NT$24.02

$0.92 NT$29.49

-18.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.59 NT$306

$9.61 NT$307

-0.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 NT$32.56

$1.03 NT$32.76

-0.97%

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

$34.1K NT$1.1M

$33.0K NT$1.1M

3.18%

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

$24.2K NT$771.9K

$22.7K NT$725.9K

6.33%

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

$86.4 NT$2,756

$127 NT$4,037

-31.73%

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

$17.12 NT$546

$14.84 NT$474

15.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.06 NT$864

$21.00 NT$670

28.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.77 NT$1,301

$32.96 NT$1,052

23.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.04 NT$512

$11.63 NT$371

37.92%

Cinema Ticket

$9.63 NT$307

$10.02 NT$320

-3.89%

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

$656 NT$20.9K

$347 NT$11.1K

89.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K NT$524.1K

$16.8K NT$537.2K

-2.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 NT$2,001

$72.5 NT$2,314

-13.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.50 NT$1,261

$35.93 NT$1,147

9.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 NT$2,677

$85.8 NT$2,738

-2.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 NT$3,392

$117 NT$3,727

-9.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,016 NT$32.4K

$396 NT$12.6K

156.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$479 NT$15.3K

$273 NT$8,722

75.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 NT$50.0K

$1,217 NT$38.8K

28.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$952 NT$30.4K

$774 NT$24.7K

22.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.2K NT$389.2K

$8,642 NT$275.8K

41.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,207 NT$230.0K

$5,368 NT$171.3K

34.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,772 NT$56.5K

$1,432 NT$45.7K

23.74%

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: October 4, 2026

Last update for Taichung: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Taipei

$479 34.8%

Taichung

$273 23.7% 42.9% $205

Groceries & Markets

Taipei

$401 29.2%

Taichung

$379 32.8% 5.6% $22

Clothing & Footwear

Taipei

$132 9.6%

Taichung

$140 12.1% 6.4% $8.4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Taipei

$131 9.5%

Taichung

$162 14.1% 24.4% $32

Eating Out

Taipei

$125 9.1%

Taichung

$105 9.1% 15.7% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Taipei

$60 4.4%

Taichung

$53 4.6% 11.7% $7

Getting Around

Taipei

$47 3.5%

Taichung

$42 3.7% 11% $5.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,016 in Taipei and $396 in Taichung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taipei pays 24% 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 $401 vs $379 per month, with Taichung cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇼 Taipei

🇹🇼 Taichung

🕒 Local time

10:45 10:45 AM

Same time as Taipei

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,635,286 Capital

2,767,239

💱 Currency

New Taiwan Dollar TWD NT$

📈 Exchange rate

100 TWD = 3.13 USD

100 TWD = 2.79 EUR

100 TWD = 3.13 USD

100 TWD = 2.79 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Taipei vs Taichung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taichung wins on cost – living expenses run 22% 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 24% 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: $1,016 in Taipei versus $396 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 $1,395 per month in Taipei versus $1,143 in Taichung – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,143 in Taichung versus $1,395 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 22% less than in Taipei. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.