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 $1,472 per month in Taipei vs $1,138 in Zhubei City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,373 per month in Taipei vs $2,036 in Zhubei City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Taipei vs $2,934 in Zhubei City, rent included.

Taipei costs about 29% more than Zhubei City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Taipei sits 10% above the global median, while Zhubei City is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.95 NT$220

$5.15 NT$163

34.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.71 NT$1,288

$33.97 NT$1,075

19.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.66 NT$179

$5.71 NT$181

-0.88%

Cappuccino

$3.95 NT$125

$3.68 NT$117

7.34%

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

$1.16 NT$36.77

$0.93 NT$29.26

24.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 NT$23.06

$0.66 NT$20.91

10.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 NT$104

$2.15 NT$68.1

52.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 NT$110

$2.74 NT$86.8

27.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.25 NT$103

$3.14 NT$99.5

3.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 NT$59.8

$2.06 NT$65.3

-8.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 NT$96.0

$4.53 NT$143

-33.11%

Eggs

$2.85 NT$90.0

$2.91 NT$92.0

-2.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.71 NT$624

$14.16 NT$448

39.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.78 NT$310

$8.45 NT$267

15.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.38 NT$645

$27.81 NT$880

-26.72%

Apples (1kg)

$5.15 NT$163

$4.49 NT$142

14.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.88 NT$91.0

$2.69 NT$85.2

7.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 NT$88.8

$2.63 NT$83.1

6.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 NT$136

$3.75 NT$119

14.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 NT$88.6

$3.90 NT$123

-28.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 NT$69.6

$2.45 NT$77.7

-10.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 NT$62.3

$2.62 NT$82.9

-24.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 NT$43.60

$1.33 NT$41.95

3.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 NT$132

$4.03 NT$128

3.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.03 NT$444

$8.97 NT$284

56.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 NT$55.6

$1.58 NT$50.1

11.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 NT$76.4

$2.80 NT$88.7

-13.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 NT$26.15

$0.71 NT$22.37

16.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.36 NT$1,277

$39.53 NT$1,251

2.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.84 NT$90.0

$3.46 NT$109

-17.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 NT$24.98

$0.62 NT$19.65

27.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.98 NT$316

$10.24 NT$324

-2.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 NT$32.25

$1.04 NT$32.78

-1.92%

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

$37.6K NT$1.2M

$41.6K NT$1.3M

-9.61%

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

$27.8K NT$879.7K

$28.2K NT$891.0K

-1.27%

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

$85.5 NT$2,704

$91.7 NT$2,901

-6.78%

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

$18.78 NT$594

$33.92 NT$1,073

-44.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.19 NT$797

$25.05 NT$793

0.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.69 NT$1,287

$34.13 NT$1,080

19.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.02 NT$443

$14.99 NT$474

-6.47%

Cinema Ticket

$11.88 NT$376

$12.08 NT$382

-1.66%

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

$646 NT$20.4K

$692 NT$21.9K

-6.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.7K NT$592.7K

$15.4K NT$488.1K

21.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 NT$1,881

$85.0 NT$2,688

-30.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.83 NT$1,039

$46.22 NT$1,462

-28.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.9 NT$3,001

$101 NT$3,187

-5.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 NT$3,899

$113 NT$3,563

9.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$794 NT$25.1K

$438 NT$13.9K

81.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$547 NT$17.3K

$209 NT$6,604

161.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,631 NT$51.6K

$1,194 NT$37.8K

36.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,096 NT$34.7K

$860 NT$27.2K

27.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.4K NT$424.6K

$16.2K NT$512.8K

-17.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,313 NT$263.0K

$9,497 NT$300.4K

-12.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,762 NT$55.7K

$2,452 NT$77.6K

-28.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.19

2.4

-8.75%

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

Last update for Taipei: June 15, 2026

Last update for Zhubei City: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $794 in Taipei versus $438 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 39% 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 $41.00 in Taipei versus $34.00 in Zhubei City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $399 vs $392 – making Zhubei 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 Zhubei City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Taipei is pricier by about 29%, 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 $2,209 per month in Taipei and $1,706 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 $1,472 in Taipei and $1,138 in Zhubei City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 2% less in Zhubei City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zhubei City, where all-in costs run around $1,138, than in Taipei at $1,472. 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.