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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,497 per month in Taipei vs $1,104 in Taoyuan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,333 per month in Taipei vs $1,722 in Taoyuan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,168 per month in Taipei vs $2,339 in Taoyuan, rent included.

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

Taipei sits 12% above the global median, while Taoyuan is 17% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.62 NT$214

$4.94 NT$160

34.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.86 NT$1,288

$25.06 NT$810

59.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 NT$181

$6.23 NT$201

-10.27%

Cappuccino

$3.93 NT$127

$2.80 NT$90.6

40.36%

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

$1.16 NT$37.64

$1.29 NT$41.69

-10.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 NT$24.22

$0.78 NT$25.19

-3.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 NT$111

$1.69 NT$54.6

104.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 NT$112

$2.39 NT$77.3

44.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.16 NT$102

$3.26 NT$105

-3.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 NT$60.9

$1.44 NT$46.37

30.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 NT$98.0

$2.48 NT$80.2

22.18%

Eggs

$2.85 NT$92.0

$2.27 NT$73.5

25.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.35 NT$658

$9.09 NT$294

123.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 NT$327

$7.76 NT$251

30.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.00 NT$646

$16.22 NT$524

23.30%

Apples (1kg)

$5.03 NT$163

$3.21 NT$104

56.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 NT$92.7

$1.97 NT$63.5

45.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 NT$93.8

$2.69 NT$86.9

7.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 NT$135

$2.98 NT$96.4

40.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 NT$92.5

$2.32 NT$75.0

23.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 NT$72.5

$1.81 NT$58.5

23.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 NT$62.9

$2.54 NT$82.1

-23.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 NT$42.46

$0.92 NT$29.80

42.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 NT$134

$6.42 NT$207

-35.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.82 NT$447

$11.05 NT$357

25.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 NT$58.3

$1.75 NT$56.6

2.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 NT$76.5

$2.35 NT$75.9

0.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 NT$27.79

$0.65 NT$20.88

32.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.26 NT$1,333

$40.10 NT$1,296

2.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 NT$95.1

$3.04 NT$98.1

-3.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 NT$23.92

$0.75 NT$24.10

-1.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.32 NT$333

$8.17 NT$264

26.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 NT$33.47

$1.02 NT$32.81

1.96%

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

$38.7K NT$1.2M

$36.2K NT$1.2M

6.83%

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

$27.6K NT$892.5K

$26.0K NT$841.7K

6.04%

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

$86.2 NT$2,784

$65.2 NT$2,106

32.20%

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

$18.64 NT$602

$29.19 NT$943

-36.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.48 NT$791

$19.51 NT$631

25.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.54 NT$1,342

$36.45 NT$1,178

13.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.88 NT$448

$10.02 NT$324

38.52%

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 NT$378

$10.21 NT$330

14.69%

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

$643 NT$20.8K

$570 NT$18.4K

12.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K NT$609.1K

$15.2K NT$492.2K

23.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 NT$1,923

$80.3 NT$2,594

-25.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.40 NT$1,079

$23.92 NT$773

39.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 NT$3,002

$83.7 NT$2,703

11.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 NT$3,920

$101 NT$3,262

20.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$795 NT$25.7K

$429 NT$13.9K

85.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$539 NT$17.4K

$341 NT$11.0K

58.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 NT$53.3K

$823 NT$26.6K

100.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,082 NT$34.9K

$591 NT$19.1K

83.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.8K NT$414.7K

$7,333 NT$236.9K

75.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,600 NT$245.6K

$4,620 NT$149.3K

64.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,716 NT$55.4K

$1,530 NT$49.4K

12.17%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Taoyuan: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $795 in Taipei versus $429 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 12% 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 $25.00 in Taoyuan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $398 vs $302 – 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 $2,246 per month in Taipei and $1,657 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 $1,497 in Taipei and $1,104 in Taoyuan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 3% 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 $1,104, than in Taipei at $1,497. 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.