Cost of Living Comparison Between Taitung and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Taitung and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,084 per month in Taitung vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,841 per month in Taitung vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,597 per month in Taitung vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Taitung costs about 26% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Taitung and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Taitung 19% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.14 NT$134

$1.96 ฿65.9

111.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.35 NT$1,336

$18.35 ฿617

125.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 NT$184

$7.48 ฿252

-23.66%

Cappuccino

$3.85 NT$125

$2.02 ฿67.8

90.59%

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

$1.12 NT$36.14

$0.85 ฿28.52

31.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 NT$25.48

$0.36 ฿11.97

119.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 NT$109

$2.14 ฿71.9

57.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 NT$111

$3.59 ฿121

-4.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.25 NT$105

$1.65 ฿55.5

96.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 NT$60.9

$1.57 ฿52.7

19.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 NT$97.5

$1.19 ฿40.05

153.78%

Eggs

$2.40 NT$77.6

$1.94 ฿65.1

23.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.96 NT$645

$16.19 ฿545

23.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.16 NT$134

$2.99 ฿101

39.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.39 NT$659

$10.94 ฿368

86.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 NT$67.0

$2.71 ฿91.2

-23.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 NT$96.3

$1.17 ฿39.27

154.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 NT$63.9

$1.69 ฿56.8

17.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.30 NT$139

$1.60 ฿54.0

168.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.94 NT$95.0

$1.38 ฿46.56

113.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 NT$70.4

$1.20 ฿40.47

81.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 NT$62.0

$0.67 ฿22.51

186.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 NT$44.07

$0.56 ฿18.74

142.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 NT$134

$4.64 ฿156

-10.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.91 NT$450

$17.62 ฿593

-21.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 NT$59.0

$1.86 ฿62.6

-2.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 NT$75.0

$3.30 ฿111

-29.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 NT$26.54

$0.88 ฿29.70

-6.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.35 NT$1,239

$19.34 ฿651

98.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.84 NT$91.7

$1.36 ฿45.92

108.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 NT$24.91

$1.34 ฿45.00

-42.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.18 NT$329

$8.21 ฿276

24.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 NT$32.50

$1.22 ฿41.20

-17.21%

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

$37.5K NT$1.2M

$21.4K ฿718.5K

75.83%

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

$27.1K NT$874.4K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

20.11%

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

$85.3 NT$2,756

$70.7 ฿2,378

20.69%

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

$18.79 NT$607

$14.04 ฿472

33.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.21 NT$815

$17.49 ฿589

44.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.80 NT$1,221

$42.15 ฿1,418

-10.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.17 NT$490

$6.88 ฿231

120.49%

Cinema Ticket

$10.29 NT$332

$5.92 ฿199

73.82%

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

$648 NT$20.9K

$309 ฿10.4K

110.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K NT$610.0K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

26.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.66 NT$991

$55.8 ฿1,876

-45.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.58 NT$536

$26.11 ฿879

-36.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.4 NT$1,759

$83.0 ฿2,793

-34.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 NT$3,994

$70.5 ฿2,371

75.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 NT$14.0K

$432 ฿14.5K

0.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$283 NT$9,150

$239 ฿8,040

18.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,019 NT$32.9K

$822 ฿27.7K

23.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$722 NT$23.3K

$512 ฿17.2K

41.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,668 NT$247.8K

$1,915 ฿64.4K

300.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,473 NT$176.9K

$1,467 ฿49.4K

273.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 NT$20.2K

$579 ฿19.5K

7.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.19

-56.20%

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

Last update for Taitung: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $433 in Taitung versus $432 in Chiang Mai. 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 8% higher in Taitung, 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 $41.00 in Taitung versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $243 – making Chiang Mai 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

Taitung vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taitung costs about 26% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,626 per month in Taitung and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $648 per month in Taitung and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% more in Taitung, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $861, than in Taitung at $1,084. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Taitung it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,084 in Taitung. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Taitung makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.