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 $1,371 per month in Taipei vs $983 in Zhongli City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,237 per month in Taipei vs $1,658 in Zhongli City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,104 per month in Taipei vs $2,333 in Zhongli City, rent included.

Taipei costs about 40% more than Zhongli City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Taipei sits 0% above the global median, while Zhongli City is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.62 NT$147

$4.77 NT$151

-3.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.10 NT$1,526

$31.41 NT$997

53.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.87 NT$186

$4.69 NT$149

25.16%

Cappuccino

$3.44 NT$109

$2.49 NT$78.9

38.15%

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

$0.92 NT$29.21

$0.99 NT$31.26

-7.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 NT$21.00

$0.74 NT$23.36

-10.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 NT$87.6

$1.54 NT$48.80

79.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 NT$119

$2.87 NT$91.0

30.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.04 NT$96.5

$3.33 NT$106

-8.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 NT$62.4

$1.75 NT$55.5

12.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 NT$96.1

$2.75 NT$87.2

10.18%

Eggs

$2.77 NT$88.0

$2.52 NT$79.9

9.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.90 NT$631

$12.79 NT$406

55.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.95 NT$316

$6.85 NT$217

45.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.25 NT$674

$15.84 NT$503

34.15%

Apples (1kg)

$5.04 NT$160

$3.82 NT$121

31.94%

Banana (1kg)

$3.36 NT$107

$1.89 NT$60.0

77.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 NT$99.0

$1.78 NT$56.4

75.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.46 NT$142

$2.18 NT$69.2

104.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 NT$88.9

$1.25 NT$39.71

124.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 NT$73.6

$1.98 NT$62.7

17.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 NT$54.4

$2.36 NT$75.0

-27.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 NT$37.37

$0.90 NT$28.46

31.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 NT$124

$3.95 NT$125

-1.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.43 NT$458

$15.75 NT$500

-8.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 NT$52.8

$1.62 NT$51.4

3.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 NT$73.2

$2.46 NT$78.1

-6.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 NT$22.01

$0.60 NT$19.13

15.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.23 NT$1,181

$38.18 NT$1,211

-2.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 NT$85.5

$2.73 NT$86.5

-1.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 NT$23.87

$0.57 NT$18.05

31.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.50 NT$302

$9.38 NT$298

1.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 NT$32.15

$1.02 NT$32.39

-0.98%

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

$33.8K NT$1.1M

$33.4K NT$1.1M

1.21%

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

$24.1K NT$764.8K

$23.4K NT$741.2K

3.19%

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

$85.7 NT$2,719

$103 NT$3,268

-16.81%

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

$18.27 NT$580

$14.94 NT$474

22.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.88 NT$885

$17.68 NT$561

57.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.07 NT$1,303

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.95 NT$506

Cinema Ticket

$9.66 NT$307

$9.61 NT$305

0.52%

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

$633 NT$20.1K

$341 NT$10.8K

85.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K NT$535.1K

$16.9K NT$536.1K

-0.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 NT$1,958

$69.2 NT$2,194

-10.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.47 NT$1,284

$36.57 NT$1,160

10.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 NT$2,659

$54.7 NT$1,735

53.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 NT$3,402

$109 NT$3,473

-2.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$866 NT$27.5K

$457 NT$14.5K

89.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$494 NT$15.7K

$252 NT$7,986

96.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 NT$49.9K

$908 NT$28.8K

73.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$955 NT$30.3K

$740 NT$23.5K

29.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.7K NT$401.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,665 NT$243.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,716 NT$54.4K

$2,314 NT$73.4K

-25.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.4

2.1

14.29%

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

Last update for Taipei: August 31, 2026

Last update for Zhongli City: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $866 in Taipei versus $457 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 35% 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 $48.00 in Taipei versus $31.00 in Zhongli City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $402 vs $313 – 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 Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,056 per month in Taipei and $1,474 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 $1,371 in Taipei and $983 in Zhongli City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 3% 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 $983, than in Taipei at $1,371. 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.