Cost of Living Comparison Between Taitung and Kinmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Taitung and Kinmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,098 per month in Taitung vs $1,124 in Kinmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,845 per month in Taitung vs $1,864 in Kinmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,592 per month in Taitung vs $2,603 in Kinmen, rent included.

Taitung is about 2% cheaper than Kinmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Taitung and Kinmen are more affordable than the global median – Taitung 18% lower, Kinmen 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.16 NT$131

$5.23 NT$165

-20.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.16 NT$1,296

$30.74 NT$967

33.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.82 NT$183

$5.46 NT$172

6.59%

Cappuccino

$3.76 NT$119

$2.91 NT$91.5

29.21%

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

$1.16 NT$36.60

$1.09 NT$34.45

6.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 NT$23.36

$0.77 NT$24.33

-3.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 NT$107

$1.89 NT$59.4

79.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 NT$108

$2.64 NT$83.2

29.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.23 NT$102

$3.26 NT$103

-0.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 NT$61.8

$1.90 NT$59.9

3.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.12 NT$98.2

$2.79 NT$87.9

11.83%

Eggs

$2.50 NT$78.6

$2.84 NT$89.3

-11.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.29 NT$639

$18.85 NT$593

7.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.16 NT$131

$8.00 NT$252

-48.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.12 NT$633

$17.25 NT$543

16.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 NT$65.5

$4.58 NT$144

-54.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.97 NT$93.6

$2.56 NT$80.7

16.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 NT$65.1

$2.67 NT$84.2

-22.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.27 NT$134

$3.49 NT$110

22.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 NT$89.6

$2.87 NT$90.3

-0.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 NT$71.0

$2.24 NT$70.4

0.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 NT$59.7

$1.96 NT$61.7

-3.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 NT$41.76

$1.25 NT$39.49

6.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 NT$132

$4.19 NT$132

-0.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.48 NT$456

$14.40 NT$453

0.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 NT$57.4

$1.66 NT$52.1

9.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 NT$76.2

$2.47 NT$77.8

-2.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 NT$27.10

$0.89 NT$27.89

-3.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.70 NT$1,218

$39.20 NT$1,234

-1.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 NT$89.6

$2.94 NT$92.5

-3.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 NT$22.83

$0.77 NT$24.35

-5.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.27 NT$323

$10.28 NT$324

-0.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 NT$31.18

$1.06 NT$33.49

-6.60%

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

$37.6K NT$1.2M

$35.9K NT$1.1M

4.86%

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

$27.6K NT$869.9K

$25.7K NT$808.1K

7.64%

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

$85.0 NT$2,676

$86.4 NT$2,719

-1.57%

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

$18.81 NT$592

$24.55 NT$773

-23.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.67 NT$777

$22.48 NT$708

9.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.75 NT$1,157

$36.74 NT$1,156

0.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.19 NT$478

$15.18 NT$478

0.07%

Cinema Ticket

$10.21 NT$321

$10.06 NT$317

1.49%

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

$642 NT$20.2K

$419 NT$13.2K

53.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.0K NT$597.5K

$15.3K NT$482.6K

23.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.06 NT$946

$84.1 NT$2,647

-64.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.90 NT$532

$34.75 NT$1,094

-51.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.2 NT$1,675

$91.0 NT$2,864

-41.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 NT$3,907

$103 NT$3,244

20.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 NT$13.4K

$440 NT$13.8K

-3.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 NT$9,241

$286 NT$8,994

2.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,041 NT$32.8K

$1,034 NT$32.6K

0.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$713 NT$22.5K

$740 NT$23.3K

-3.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,438 NT$234.1K

$7,661 NT$241.2K

-2.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,524 NT$173.9K

$5,295 NT$166.7K

4.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$634 NT$20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.19

2.18

0.46%

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

Last update for Taitung: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kinmen: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $425 in Taitung versus $440 in Kinmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Taitung versus $31.00 in Kinmen. Groceries tell a different story – $354 in Taitung vs $367 in Kinmen – so Taitung 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

Taitung vs Kinmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Kinmen is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,647 per month in Taitung and $1,686 in Kinmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $642 per month in Taitung and $419 in Kinmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Kinmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Taitung, where all-in costs run around $1,098, than in Kinmen at $1,124. In Taitung it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kinmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Taitung – 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 Taitung. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kinmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.