Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and Taoyuan Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and Taoyuan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,494 per month in Taipei vs $1,098 in Taoyuan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,394 per month in Taipei vs $1,727 in Taoyuan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,295 per month in Taipei vs $2,357 in Taoyuan, rent included.

Taipei costs about 36% more than Taoyuan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Taipei sits 11% above the global median, while Taoyuan is 18% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.64 NT$209

$5.13 NT$162

29.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.45 NT$1,273

$25.61 NT$806

57.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 NT$182

$6.24 NT$196

-7.21%

Cappuccino

$3.75 NT$118

$2.78 NT$87.5

34.89%

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

$1.13 NT$35.42

$1.28 NT$40.33

-11.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 NT$22.75

$0.83 NT$26.08

-13.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 NT$104

$1.70 NT$53.4

94.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 NT$104

$2.33 NT$73.4

41.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.12 NT$98.2

$3.27 NT$103

-4.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 NT$62.3

$1.40 NT$43.95

41.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 NT$96.5

$2.44 NT$76.9

25.82%

Eggs

$2.91 NT$91.7

$2.21 NT$69.6

31.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.73 NT$621

$8.71 NT$274

126.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.90 NT$311

$8.03 NT$253

23.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.36 NT$641

$15.94 NT$502

27.73%

Apples (1kg)

$5.15 NT$162

$3.32 NT$104

55.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 NT$91.8

$1.96 NT$61.8

48.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 NT$90.8

$2.69 NT$84.7

7.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.26 NT$134

$2.90 NT$91.4

46.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 NT$88.0

$2.30 NT$72.4

21.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 NT$69.1

$1.84 NT$58.0

19.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 NT$62.1

$2.58 NT$81.1

-23.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 NT$43.72

$0.85 NT$26.75

63.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 NT$126

$6.60 NT$208

-39.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.48 NT$456

$11.09 NT$349

30.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 NT$55.1

$1.79 NT$56.3

-2.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 NT$76.2

$2.47 NT$77.7

-2.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 NT$28.05

$0.70 NT$21.92

27.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.16 NT$1,296

$40.62 NT$1,278

1.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 NT$91.6

$3.00 NT$94.5

-3.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 NT$24.94

$0.72 NT$22.74

9.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.05 NT$316

$8.30 NT$261

21.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 NT$33.63

$1.02 NT$32.15

4.90%

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

$38.1K NT$1.2M

$35.7K NT$1.1M

6.76%

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

$27.9K NT$877.6K

$26.1K NT$821.1K

6.89%

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

$84.9 NT$2,672

$65.3 NT$2,056

29.98%

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

$18.69 NT$588

$28.83 NT$907

-35.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.75 NT$779

$19.65 NT$618

25.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.03 NT$1,323

$37.15 NT$1,169

13.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.06 NT$443

$10.09 NT$318

39.35%

Cinema Ticket

$11.84 NT$373

$10.05 NT$316

17.81%

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

$626 NT$19.7K

$572 NT$18.0K

9.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.6K NT$586.5K

$15.5K NT$488.1K

20.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 NT$1,855

$82.9 NT$2,609

-28.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.01 NT$1,071

$23.90 NT$752

42.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 NT$2,995

$82.9 NT$2,608

14.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 NT$3,891

$99.8 NT$3,142

23.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$789 NT$24.8K

$428 NT$13.5K

84.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$541 NT$17.0K

$349 NT$11.0K

54.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,667 NT$52.5K

$847 NT$26.7K

96.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,113 NT$35.0K

$610 NT$19.2K

82.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K NT$430.6K

$7,522 NT$236.8K

81.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,450 NT$266.0K

$4,705 NT$148.1K

79.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,713 NT$53.9K

$1,522 NT$47.9K

12.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.19

1.57

39.49%

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

Last update for Taipei: June 1, 2026

Last update for Taoyuan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $789 in Taipei versus $428 in Taoyuan. 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 13% 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 $40.00 in Taipei versus $26.00 in Taoyuan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $401 vs $300 – making Taoyuan 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 Taoyuan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Taipei is pricier by about 36%, 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 $2,240 per month in Taipei and $1,647 in Taoyuan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Taoyuan, 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 $1,494 in Taipei and $1,098 in Taoyuan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 1% less in Taoyuan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Taoyuan, where all-in costs run around $1,098, than in Taipei at $1,494. In Taoyuan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Taipei it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Taoyuan – 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 Taoyuan. 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.