Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and Utsunomiya Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and Utsunomiya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,494 per month in Taipei vs $1,300 in Utsunomiya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,394 per month in Taipei vs $1,894 in Utsunomiya, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,295 per month in Taipei vs $2,487 in Utsunomiya, rent included.

Taipei costs about 15% more than Utsunomiya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Taipei sits 11% above the global median, while Utsunomiya is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.64 NT$209

$8.18 ¥1,308

-18.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.45 NT$1,274

$18.71 ¥2,993

116.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 NT$183

$5.29 ¥846

9.45%

Cappuccino

$3.75 NT$118

$2.36 ¥378

58.90%

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

$1.13 NT$35.45

$1.24 ¥199

-8.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 NT$22.77

$0.92 ¥146

-21.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 NT$104

$2.99 ¥479

10.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 NT$104

$2.70 ¥432

22.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.12 NT$98.3

$1.61 ¥258

93.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 NT$62.4

$1.52 ¥243

30.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 NT$96.6

$5.36 ¥857

-42.72%

Eggs

$2.91 NT$91.8

$2.39 ¥382

21.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.73 NT$621

$15.81 ¥2,529

24.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.90 NT$312

$8.04 ¥1,287

23.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.36 NT$641

$22.48 ¥3,596

-9.43%

Apples (1kg)

$5.15 NT$162

$5.32 ¥850

-3.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 NT$91.9

$2.56 ¥410

14.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 NT$90.9

$5.96 ¥954

-51.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.26 NT$134

$5.77 ¥924

-26.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 NT$88.0

$3.19 ¥510

-12.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 NT$69.1

$3.32 ¥531

-34.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 NT$62.1

$1.43 ¥229

37.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 NT$43.76

$0.88 ¥142

57.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 NT$126

$4.10 ¥656

-2.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.48 NT$456

$9.30 ¥1,487

55.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 NT$55.2

$2.10 ¥336

-16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 NT$76.2

$2.91 ¥465

-16.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 NT$28.07

$1.99 ¥318

-55.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.16 NT$1,297

$41.28 ¥6,602

-0.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 NT$91.7

$3.57 ¥570

-18.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 NT$24.97

$2.89 ¥463

-72.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.05 NT$316

$26.54 ¥4,246

-62.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 NT$33.66

$1.18 ¥188

-9.32%

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

$38.1K NT$1.2M

$23.0K ¥3.7M

65.60%

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

$27.9K NT$878.4K

$17.2K ¥2.7M

62.38%

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

$84.9 NT$2,675

$162 ¥25.8K

-47.46%

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

$18.69 NT$589

$26.13 ¥4,180

-28.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.75 NT$780

$33.52 ¥5,362

-26.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.03 NT$1,324

$54.9 ¥8,778

-23.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.06 NT$443

$13.69 ¥2,190

2.70%

Cinema Ticket

$11.84 NT$373

$13.21 ¥2,112

-10.37%

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

$626 NT$19.7K

$507 ¥81.0K

23.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.6K NT$587.0K

$15.2K ¥2.4M

22.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 NT$1,856

$60.0 ¥9,596

-1.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.01 NT$1,072

$40.20 ¥6,430

-15.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 NT$2,997

$66.4 ¥10.6K

43.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 NT$3,894

$91.9 ¥14.7K

34.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$789 NT$24.8K

$415 ¥66.5K

89.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$541 NT$17.0K

$281 ¥44.9K

92.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,667 NT$52.5K

$694 ¥111.1K

139.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,113 NT$35.1K

$423 ¥67.7K

163.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K NT$431.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,450 NT$266.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,713 NT$54.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.19

1.72

27.33%

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

Last update for Taipei: June 1, 2026

Last update for Utsunomiya: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $789 in Taipei versus $415 in Utsunomiya. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Taipei versus $19.00 in Utsunomiya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $401 vs $380 – making Utsunomiya 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 Utsunomiya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Taipei is pricier by about 15%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,950 in Utsunomiya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Utsunomiya, 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 $1,300 in Utsunomiya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 0% less in Utsunomiya. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Utsunomiya, where all-in costs run around $1,300, than in Taipei at $1,494. In Utsunomiya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Taipei it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Utsunomiya – 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 Utsunomiya. 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.