Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and Taitung Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and Taitung

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,384 per month in Taipei vs $1,053 in Taitung, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,233 per month in Taipei vs $1,800 in Taitung, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Taipei vs $2,546 in Taitung, rent included.

Taipei costs about 31% more than Taitung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Taipei sits 1% above the global median, while Taitung is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.61 NT$146

$3.85 NT$122

19.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.83 NT$1,487

$48.29 NT$1,534

-3.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.54 NT$176

$6.09 NT$193

-9.03%

Cappuccino

$3.46 NT$110

$3.59 NT$114

-3.62%

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

$0.92 NT$29.38

$0.98 NT$31.05

-6.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 NT$19.78

$0.66 NT$20.95

-6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.78 NT$88.4

$2.79 NT$88.6

-0.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 NT$121

$3.79 NT$120

0.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.11 NT$98.8

$3.11 NT$98.9

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 NT$62.5

$1.95 NT$61.9

1.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.17 NT$101

$3.05 NT$96.9

3.93%

Eggs

$2.81 NT$89.4

$2.25 NT$71.6

24.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.49 NT$619

$19.53 NT$620

-0.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.00 NT$318

$3.90 NT$124

156.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.90 NT$696

$21.97 NT$698

-0.32%

Apples (1kg)

$4.80 NT$152

$1.89 NT$60.0

153.97%

Banana (1kg)

$3.25 NT$103

$2.90 NT$92.0

12.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 NT$94.8

$1.96 NT$62.2

52.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 NT$138

$4.61 NT$146

-5.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 NT$85.8

$2.86 NT$90.8

-5.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 NT$72.5

$2.27 NT$72.1

0.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 NT$54.1

$1.75 NT$55.7

-2.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 NT$37.14

$1.13 NT$35.74

3.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.02 NT$128

$3.88 NT$123

3.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.29 NT$454

$14.55 NT$462

-1.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 NT$52.6

$1.72 NT$54.7

-3.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 NT$70.6

$2.28 NT$72.4

-2.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 NT$19.34

$0.61 NT$19.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.17 NT$1,213

$36.80 NT$1,169

3.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 NT$86.9

$2.73 NT$86.8

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 NT$25.55

$0.82 NT$26.19

-2.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.18 NT$292

$9.24 NT$294

-0.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 NT$33.52

$0.92 NT$29.12

15.22%

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

$34.0K NT$1.1M

-0.08%

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

$24.4K NT$775.9K

$24.4K NT$774.4K

0.20%

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

$83.2 NT$2,643

$85.0 NT$2,699

-2.07%

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

$17.73 NT$563

$17.93 NT$570

-1.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.05 NT$891

$27.73 NT$881

1.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.43 NT$1,316

$37.04 NT$1,176

11.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.34 NT$519

Cinema Ticket

$9.51 NT$302

$9.60 NT$305

-0.94%

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

$615 NT$19.5K

$625 NT$19.8K

-1.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K NT$542.9K

$16.7K NT$531.7K

2.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 NT$1,990

$28.95 NT$919

116.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.32 NT$1,281

$15.63 NT$496

157.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 NT$2,690

$50.4 NT$1,600

68.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 NT$3,330

$108 NT$3,417

-2.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$898 NT$28.5K

$414 NT$13.1K

117.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$490 NT$15.6K

$251 NT$7,966

95.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,550 NT$49.2K

$991 NT$31.5K

56.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$971 NT$30.8K

$741 NT$23.5K

30.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.2K NT$388.8K

$7,353 NT$233.5K

66.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,708 NT$244.8K

$5,069 NT$161.0K

52.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,714 NT$54.4K

$633 NT$20.1K

170.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.4

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

Last update for Taipei: September 13, 2026

Last update for Taitung: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $898 in Taipei versus $414 in Taitung. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 171% higher in Taipei, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Taipei versus $48.00 in Taitung. Groceries tell a different story – $401 in Taipei vs $349 in Taitung – so Taitung wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Taitung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Taipei is pricier by about 31%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,077 per month in Taipei and $1,580 in Taitung. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Taitung, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,384 in Taipei and $1,053 in Taitung. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 4% less in Taitung. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Taitung, where all-in costs run around $1,053, than in Taipei at $1,384. In Taitung it covers expenses comfortably, while in Taipei it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Taitung – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Taitung. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Taipei makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.