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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,466 per month in Taipei vs $1,120 in Taitung, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,363 per month in Taipei vs $1,864 in Taitung, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,259 per month in Taipei vs $2,607 in Taitung, rent included.

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

Taipei sits 10% above the global median, while Taitung is 16% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.61 NT$209

$3.97 NT$126

66.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.06 NT$1,300

$40.27 NT$1,275

1.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 NT$178

$5.80 NT$184

-3.28%

Cappuccino

$3.86 NT$122

$3.76 NT$119

2.66%

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

$1.12 NT$35.61

$1.18 NT$37.32

-5.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 NT$25.25

$0.75 NT$23.68

6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 NT$105

$3.38 NT$107

-1.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 NT$108

$3.36 NT$106

1.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.27 NT$104

$3.25 NT$103

0.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 NT$60.5

$1.89 NT$59.7

1.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 NT$99.2

$3.06 NT$96.8

2.29%

Eggs

$2.93 NT$92.7

$2.38 NT$75.2

23.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.24 NT$640

$20.31 NT$643

-0.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.73 NT$308

$4.15 NT$131

134.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.05 NT$635

$20.55 NT$650

-2.43%

Apples (1kg)

$5.10 NT$161

$2.05 NT$64.9

148.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.99 NT$94.7

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 NT$91.6

$2.02 NT$63.9

43.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 NT$131

$4.11 NT$130

0.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.94 NT$92.9

$2.83 NT$89.6

3.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 NT$68.5

$2.25 NT$71.1

-4.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 NT$59.4

$1.96 NT$62.2

-4.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 NT$42.04

$1.38 NT$43.58

-3.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 NT$131

$4.12 NT$130

0.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.79 NT$468

$14.99 NT$474

-1.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 NT$57.8

$1.76 NT$55.8

3.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 NT$76.2

$2.31 NT$73.2

4.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 NT$25.74

$0.84 NT$26.43

-3.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.43 NT$1,280

$38.80 NT$1,228

4.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 NT$92.9

$2.83 NT$89.6

3.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 NT$23.16

$0.77 NT$24.52

-5.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.33 NT$327

$10.34 NT$327

-0.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 NT$33.80

$1.03 NT$32.69

3.88%

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

$38.2K NT$1.2M

-0.01%

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

$27.5K NT$870.8K

$27.5K NT$869.2K

0.18%

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

$83.9 NT$2,655

$84.9 NT$2,686

-1.17%

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

$18.83 NT$596

$19.04 NT$603

-1.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.50 NT$775

$24.72 NT$782

-0.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.71 NT$1,320

$37.87 NT$1,199

10.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.81 NT$437

$15.08 NT$477

-8.42%

Cinema Ticket

$11.98 NT$379

$10.15 NT$321

18.03%

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

$646 NT$20.4K

$630 NT$19.9K

2.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K NT$596.7K

$18.9K NT$597.1K

-0.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 NT$1,858

$30.61 NT$969

91.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.99 NT$1,044

$16.71 NT$529

97.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 NT$2,930

$53.3 NT$1,687

73.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 NT$3,822

$122 NT$3,846

-0.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$795 NT$25.2K

$425 NT$13.5K

87.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$538 NT$17.0K

$285 NT$9,015

88.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,652 NT$52.3K

$1,052 NT$33.3K

57.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,106 NT$35.0K

$738 NT$23.4K

49.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.2K NT$448.0K

$6,746 NT$213.5K

109.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,454 NT$267.6K

$4,689 NT$148.4K

80.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,657 NT$52.4K

$637 NT$20.2K

160.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.19

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

Last update for Taipei: April 26, 2026

Last update for Taitung: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $795 in Taipei versus $425 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 160% 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 $41.00 in Taipei versus $40.00 in Taitung. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $401 vs $354 – making Taitung the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 $2,200 per month in Taipei and $1,680 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 $1,466 in Taipei and $1,120 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 $1,120, than in Taipei at $1,466. 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.