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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,376 per month in Taipei vs $1,054 in Zhubei City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,242 per month in Taipei vs $1,865 in Zhubei City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,109 per month in Taipei vs $2,676 in Zhubei City, rent included.

Taipei costs about 31% more than Zhubei City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Taipei sits 0% above the global median, while Zhubei City is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 NT$149

$4.65 NT$147

1.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.97 NT$1,517

$29.05 NT$919

65.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.11 NT$193

$5.15 NT$163

18.64%

Cappuccino

$3.57 NT$113

$2.97 NT$93.9

20.20%

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

$0.98 NT$30.94

$0.91 NT$28.89

7.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 NT$21.02

$0.56 NT$17.81

17.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.94 NT$92.9

$1.85 NT$58.6

58.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 NT$121

$2.52 NT$79.8

52.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.07 NT$97.0

$2.95 NT$93.2

4.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 NT$62.5

$1.91 NT$60.4

3.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 NT$97.9

$4.69 NT$148

-34.12%

Eggs

$2.68 NT$84.8

$2.82 NT$89.3

-4.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.85 NT$628

$25.25 NT$799

-21.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.74 NT$308

$8.66 NT$274

12.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.62 NT$684

$25.59 NT$809

-15.51%

Apples (1kg)

$4.96 NT$157

$4.23 NT$134

17.26%

Banana (1kg)

$3.39 NT$107

$2.48 NT$78.5

36.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 NT$95.6

$2.82 NT$89.3

7.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.44 NT$140

$3.29 NT$104

34.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 NT$85.9

$3.15 NT$99.5

-13.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 NT$74.8

$2.16 NT$68.4

9.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 NT$54.2

$2.05 NT$64.9

-16.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 NT$37.64

$1.43 NT$45.25

-16.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.86 NT$122

$3.95 NT$125

-2.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.31 NT$453

$9.27 NT$293

54.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 NT$54.0

$1.42 NT$44.85

20.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 NT$70.5

$2.08 NT$65.9

7.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 NT$21.97

$0.66 NT$20.91

4.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.58 NT$1,189

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 NT$83.4

$3.14 NT$99.4

-15.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 NT$24.51

$0.65 NT$20.59

20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.49 NT$300

$9.56 NT$303

-0.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 NT$33.82

$1.00 NT$31.65

7.00%

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

$34.1K NT$1.1M

$33.3K NT$1.1M

2.64%

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

$24.9K NT$787.2K

$25.2K NT$795.9K

-1.10%

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

$85.4 NT$2,700

$103 NT$3,268

-17.39%

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

$18.13 NT$573

$19.20 NT$607

-5.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.34 NT$896

$23.10 NT$730

22.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.47 NT$1,343

$31.63 NT$1,000

34.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.90 NT$503

Cinema Ticket

$9.35 NT$296

$10.08 NT$319

-7.24%

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

$623 NT$19.7K

$662 NT$20.9K

-5.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K NT$525.5K

$16.6K NT$523.7K

0.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 NT$2,010

$58.1 NT$1,838

9.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.26 NT$1,273

$31.97 NT$1,011

25.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 NT$2,692

$94.7 NT$2,996

-10.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 NT$3,374

$101 NT$3,184

5.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$907 NT$28.7K

$510 NT$16.1K

78.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$492 NT$15.6K

$215 NT$6,799

128.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 NT$49.6K

$1,099 NT$34.8K

42.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$970 NT$30.7K

$806 NT$25.5K

20.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.5K NT$394.6K

$16.2K NT$513.7K

-23.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,787 NT$246.3K

$9,777 NT$309.2K

-20.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,786 NT$56.5K

$2,442 NT$77.2K

-26.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.4

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

Last update for Taipei: September 5, 2026

Last update for Zhubei City: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $907 in Taipei versus $510 in Zhubei 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 37% higher in Zhubei 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 $29.00 in Zhubei City. Groceries tell a different story – $402 in Taipei vs $407 in Zhubei City – so Taipei wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Zhubei City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Taipei is pricier by about 31%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,065 per month in Taipei and $1,582 in Zhubei City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zhubei 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 $1,376 in Taipei and $1,054 in Zhubei City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $623 per month in Taipei and $662 in Zhubei City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zhubei City, where all-in costs run around $1,054, than in Taipei at $1,376. In Zhubei City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Taipei it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zhubei 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 Zhubei 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.