Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and Zhongli City Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and Zhongli City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,494 per month in Taipei vs $1,064 in Zhongli City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,394 per month in Taipei vs $1,807 in Zhongli City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,295 per month in Taipei vs $2,549 in Zhongli City, rent included.

Taipei costs about 40% more than Zhongli City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Taipei sits 11% above the global median, while Zhongli City is 21% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.64 NT$209

$5.10 NT$161

30.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.45 NT$1,273

$20.62 NT$649

96.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 NT$182

$4.67 NT$147

23.98%

Cappuccino

$3.75 NT$118

$2.50 NT$78.7

50.00%

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

$1.13 NT$35.42

$0.79 NT$24.94

43.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 NT$22.75

$0.60 NT$19.00

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 NT$104

$1.47 NT$46.30

125.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 NT$104

$1.49 NT$46.86

121.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.12 NT$98.2

$3.43 NT$108

-9.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 NT$62.3

$1.77 NT$55.9

11.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 NT$96.5

$2.85 NT$89.6

7.72%

Eggs

$2.91 NT$91.7

$2.60 NT$81.7

11.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.73 NT$621

$31.63 NT$996

-37.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.90 NT$311

$8.15 NT$257

21.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.36 NT$641

$15.91 NT$501

27.97%

Apples (1kg)

$5.15 NT$162

$4.53 NT$143

13.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 NT$91.8

$1.83 NT$57.5

59.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 NT$90.8

$2.30 NT$72.3

25.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.26 NT$134

$2.95 NT$92.7

44.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 NT$88.0

$1.34 NT$42.32

108.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 NT$69.1

$1.94 NT$60.9

12.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 NT$62.1

$2.30 NT$72.3

-14.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 NT$43.72

$1.29 NT$40.50

7.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 NT$126

$4.14 NT$130

-3.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.48 NT$456

$16.03 NT$505

-9.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 NT$55.1

$1.66 NT$52.2

5.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 NT$76.2

$2.33 NT$73.5

3.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 NT$28.05

$0.63 NT$19.70

41.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.16 NT$1,296

$40.79 NT$1,284

0.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 NT$91.6

$2.81 NT$88.5

3.56%

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

$10.04 NT$316

0.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 NT$33.63

$0.98 NT$30.73

9.18%

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

$38.1K NT$1.2M

$34.2K NT$1.1M

11.51%

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

$27.9K NT$877.6K

$25.4K NT$799.7K

9.74%

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

$84.9 NT$2,672

$95.4 NT$3,002

-10.98%

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

$18.69 NT$588

$13.49 NT$425

38.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.75 NT$779

$10.23 NT$322

141.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.03 NT$1,323

$37.35 NT$1,176

12.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.06 NT$443

$15.05 NT$474

-6.58%

Cinema Ticket

$11.84 NT$373

$9.56 NT$301

23.85%

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

$626 NT$19.7K

$357 NT$11.2K

75.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.6K NT$586.5K

$21.0K NT$659.8K

-11.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 NT$1,855

$61.8 NT$1,946

-4.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.01 NT$1,071

$20.07 NT$632

69.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 NT$2,995

$80.6 NT$2,537

18.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 NT$3,891

$66.7 NT$2,099

85.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$789 NT$24.8K

$431 NT$13.6K

83.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$541 NT$17.0K

$256 NT$8,067

111.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,667 NT$52.5K

$1,043 NT$32.8K

59.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,113 NT$35.0K

$741 NT$23.3K

50.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K NT$430.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,450 NT$266.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,713 NT$53.9K

$2,372 NT$74.7K

-27.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.19

2.1

4.29%

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

Last update for Taipei: June 1, 2026

Last update for Zhongli City: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $789 in Taipei versus $431 in Zhongli City. 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 38% higher in Zhongli City, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Taipei versus $21.00 in Zhongli City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $401 vs $392 – making Zhongli City 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 Zhongli City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Taipei is pricier by about 40%, 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 $2,240 per month in Taipei and $1,596 in Zhongli City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zhongli City, 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 $1,064 in Zhongli City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

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

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Zhongli City, where all-in costs run around $1,064, than in Taipei at $1,494. In Zhongli City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Taipei it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zhongli City – 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 Zhongli City. 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.