Cost of Living Comparison Between Taitung and Taichung Cost of Living Comparison Between Taitung and Taichung

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,098 in Taitung versus $1,175 in Taichung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,845 in Taitung versus $1,977 in Taichung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,592 in Taitung versus $2,779 in Taichung.

Living in Taitung costs roughly 7% less than in Taichung, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Taitung 18% lower, Taichung 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.16 NT$131

$5.17 NT$163

-19.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.16 NT$1,296

$30.14 NT$949

36.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.82 NT$183

$5.48 NT$172

6.20%

Cappuccino

$3.76 NT$119

$3.03 NT$95.5

24.09%

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

$1.16 NT$36.60

$1.16 NT$36.61

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 NT$23.36

$0.86 NT$27.02

-13.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 NT$107

$2.19 NT$68.9

55.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 NT$108

$2.93 NT$92.4

17.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.23 NT$102

$3.86 NT$122

-16.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 NT$61.8

$1.74 NT$54.9

12.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.12 NT$98.2

$2.82 NT$88.7

10.64%

Eggs

$2.50 NT$78.6

$3.27 NT$103

-23.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.29 NT$639

$31.67 NT$997

-35.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.16 NT$131

$8.26 NT$260

-49.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.12 NT$633

$16.07 NT$506

25.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 NT$65.5

$4.64 NT$146

-55.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.97 NT$93.6

$1.76 NT$55.5

68.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 NT$65.1

$2.26 NT$71.0

-8.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.27 NT$134

$2.97 NT$93.6

43.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 NT$89.6

$1.27 NT$40.12

124.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 NT$71.0

$1.97 NT$62.1

14.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 NT$59.7

$2.36 NT$74.3

-19.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 NT$41.76

$1.30 NT$40.95

2.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 NT$132

$3.96 NT$125

5.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.48 NT$456

$16.23 NT$511

-10.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 NT$57.4

$1.71 NT$53.8

6.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 NT$76.2

$2.66 NT$83.7

-9.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 NT$27.10

$0.94 NT$29.57

-8.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.70 NT$1,218

$28.86 NT$908

34.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 NT$89.6

$2.92 NT$92.1

-2.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 NT$22.83

$1.24 NT$38.97

-41.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.27 NT$323

$10.25 NT$323

0.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 NT$31.18

$1.05 NT$33.02

-5.71%

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

$37.6K NT$1.2M

$34.5K NT$1.1M

8.86%

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

$27.6K NT$869.9K

$26.0K NT$816.9K

6.48%

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

$85.0 NT$2,676

$96.6 NT$3,042

-12.03%

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

$18.81 NT$592

$24.51 NT$771

-23.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.67 NT$777

$22.07 NT$695

11.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.75 NT$1,157

$36.44 NT$1,147

0.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.19 NT$478

$10.09 NT$318

50.55%

Cinema Ticket

$10.21 NT$321

$10.52 NT$331

-2.95%

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

$642 NT$20.2K

$355 NT$11.2K

80.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.0K NT$597.5K

$20.9K NT$656.8K

-9.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.06 NT$946

$84.1 NT$2,646

-64.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.90 NT$532

$34.06 NT$1,072

-50.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.2 NT$1,675

$96.9 NT$3,049

-45.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 NT$3,907

$130 NT$4,092

-4.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 NT$13.4K

$379 NT$11.9K

12.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 NT$9,241

$292 NT$9,184

0.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,041 NT$32.8K

$1,056 NT$33.2K

-1.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$713 NT$22.5K

$731 NT$23.0K

-2.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,438 NT$234.1K

$7,297 NT$229.7K

1.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,524 NT$173.9K

$5,260 NT$165.6K

5.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$634 NT$20.0K

$1,420 NT$44.7K

-55.33%

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 Taichung: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $425 in Taitung and $379 in Taichung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taichung pays 124% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $41.00 in Taitung vs $30.00 in Taichung. Groceries flip the comparison at $354 vs $402, with Taitung cheaper for home cooking.

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 Taichung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taitung wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Taichung. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Taitung the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Taichung earns 124% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $425 in Taitung versus $379 in Taichung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Taitung – a meal for two runs $41.00 versus $30.00 in Taichung. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,098 per month in Taitung versus $1,175 in Taichung – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,098 in Taitung versus $1,175 in Taichung, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Taitung but tight or insufficient in Taichung. The gap between the two cities makes Taitung the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Taitung and Taichung are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Taitung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Taichung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.