Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and Yilan Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and Yilan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,497 per month in Taipei vs $1,081 in Yilan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,333 per month in Taipei vs $1,712 in Yilan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,168 per month in Taipei vs $2,343 in Yilan, rent included.

Taipei costs about 38% more than Yilan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Taipei sits 12% above the global median, while Yilan is 19% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.62 NT$214

$3.55 NT$115

86.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.86 NT$1,288

$30.77 NT$994

29.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 NT$181

$5.36 NT$173

4.29%

Cappuccino

$3.93 NT$127

$2.99 NT$96.7

31.44%

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

$1.16 NT$37.64

$1.15 NT$37.19

0.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 NT$24.22

$0.75 NT$24.39

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 NT$111

$1.53 NT$49.56

125.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 NT$112

$2.94 NT$95.1

17.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.16 NT$102

$3.62 NT$117

-12.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 NT$60.9

$1.69 NT$54.5

11.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 NT$98.0

$1.96 NT$63.5

54.59%

Eggs

$2.85 NT$92.0

$2.74 NT$88.4

4.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.35 NT$658

$31.74 NT$1,025

-35.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 NT$327

$8.08 NT$261

25.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.00 NT$646

$16.01 NT$517

24.92%

Apples (1kg)

$5.03 NT$163

$4.56 NT$147

10.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 NT$92.7

$0.87 NT$27.96

229.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 NT$93.8

$2.22 NT$71.7

30.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 NT$135

$1.74 NT$56.2

140.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 NT$92.5

$1.29 NT$41.67

121.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 NT$72.5

$1.39 NT$45.01

61.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 NT$62.9

$2.17 NT$70.2

-10.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 NT$42.46

$1.23 NT$39.84

6.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 NT$134

$4.12 NT$133

0.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.82 NT$447

$15.32 NT$495

-9.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 NT$58.3

$1.43 NT$46.06

25.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 NT$76.5

$2.58 NT$83.5

-8.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 NT$27.79

$1.03 NT$33.36

-16.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.26 NT$1,333

$34.65 NT$1,119

19.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 NT$95.1

$2.91 NT$94.0

1.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 NT$23.92

$1.20 NT$38.75

-38.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.32 NT$333

$10.16 NT$328

1.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 NT$33.47

$1.01 NT$32.53

2.97%

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

$38.7K NT$1.2M

$27.6K NT$893.2K

39.87%

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

$27.6K NT$892.5K

$22.8K NT$737.6K

21.01%

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

$86.2 NT$2,784

$60.4 NT$1,951

42.74%

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

$18.64 NT$602

$16.63 NT$537

12.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.48 NT$791

$21.93 NT$709

11.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.54 NT$1,342

$31.86 NT$1,029

30.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.88 NT$448

$16.93 NT$547

-18.02%

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 NT$378

$9.92 NT$321

18.04%

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

$643 NT$20.8K

$367 NT$11.8K

75.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K NT$609.1K

$20.6K NT$666.5K

-8.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 NT$1,923

$71.8 NT$2,319

-17.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.40 NT$1,079

$34.71 NT$1,121

-3.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 NT$3,002

$78.8 NT$2,547

17.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 NT$3,920

$88.3 NT$2,854

37.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$795 NT$25.7K

$303 NT$9,783

162.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$539 NT$17.4K

$286 NT$9,232

88.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 NT$53.3K

$673 NT$21.8K

145.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,082 NT$34.9K

$509 NT$16.4K

112.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.8K NT$414.7K

$7,150 NT$231.0K

79.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,600 NT$245.6K

$4,917 NT$158.9K

54.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,716 NT$55.4K

$997 NT$32.2K

72.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.19

2.18

0.46%

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

Last update for Taipei: July 12, 2026

Last update for Yilan: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $795 in Taipei versus $303 in Yilan. 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 72% 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 $31.00 in Yilan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $398 vs $374 – making Yilan 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 Yilan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Taipei is pricier by about 38%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $1,622 in Yilan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Yilan, 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 $1,081 in Yilan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 19% less in Yilan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Yilan, where all-in costs run around $1,081, than in Taipei at $1,497. In Yilan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Taipei it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Yilan – 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 Yilan. 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.