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: $1,007 in Taitung versus $1,148 in Taichung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,780 in Taitung versus $1,904 in Taichung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,553 in Taitung versus $2,659 in Taichung.

Living in Taitung costs roughly 12% less than in Taichung, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Taitung 27% lower, Taichung 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.83 NT$121

$4.83 NT$153

-20.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.71 NT$1,512

$32.11 NT$1,018

48.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 NT$180

$4.78 NT$152

19.04%

Cappuccino

$3.35 NT$106

$2.74 NT$87.0

22.26%

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

$0.99 NT$31.22

$0.99 NT$31.32

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 NT$20.53

$0.76 NT$24.13

-14.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.80 NT$88.8

$1.60 NT$50.6

75.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 NT$122

$2.85 NT$90.5

35.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.11 NT$98.7

$3.17 NT$101

-1.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.87 NT$59.2

$1.76 NT$55.9

6.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.23 NT$102

$2.67 NT$84.5

20.97%

Eggs

$2.20 NT$69.7

$2.50 NT$79.3

-12.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.84 NT$597

$28.55 NT$905

-34.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.69 NT$117

$7.72 NT$245

-52.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.75 NT$689

$16.58 NT$525

31.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 NT$61.4

$4.19 NT$133

-53.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.80 NT$88.7

$1.96 NT$62.2

42.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 NT$60.2

$1.85 NT$58.8

2.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.55 NT$144

$2.24 NT$70.9

103.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 NT$89.4

$1.24 NT$39.43

127.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 NT$74.6

$1.92 NT$60.8

22.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 NT$53.7

$2.41 NT$76.3

-29.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 NT$37.30

$0.90 NT$28.37

31.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.89 NT$123

$3.85 NT$122

1.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.35 NT$455

$16.07 NT$509

-10.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 NT$53.1

$1.62 NT$51.4

3.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 NT$72.3

$2.48 NT$78.6

-8.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 NT$20.34

$0.74 NT$23.40

-13.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.79 NT$1,166

$31.80 NT$1,008

15.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 NT$83.9

$2.62 NT$83.0

1.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 NT$25.78

$0.93 NT$29.59

-12.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.63 NT$305

$9.67 NT$306

-0.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 NT$30.26

$1.05 NT$33.43

-9.52%

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

$33.0K NT$1.0M

$33.3K NT$1.1M

-1.17%

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

$23.8K NT$755.6K

$23.3K NT$738.6K

2.30%

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

$81.8 NT$2,593

$110 NT$3,476

-25.39%

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

$17.75 NT$562

$15.30 NT$485

16.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.86 NT$851

$20.93 NT$663

28.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.17 NT$1,178

$32.98 NT$1,045

12.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.13 NT$416

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 NT$291

$10.01 NT$317

-8.29%

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

$631 NT$20.0K

$336 NT$10.7K

87.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K NT$536.3K

$16.8K NT$533.4K

0.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.53 NT$904

$67.9 NT$2,152

-57.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.55 NT$493

$36.17 NT$1,146

-57.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.56 NT$1,571

$85.6 NT$2,712

-42.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 NT$3,240

$109 NT$3,461

-6.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$402 NT$12.7K

$401 NT$12.7K

0.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$253 NT$8,010

$283 NT$8,969

-10.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 NT$30.3K

$1,237 NT$39.2K

-22.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$738 NT$23.4K

$747 NT$23.7K

-1.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,300 NT$231.3K

$7,108 NT$225.2K

2.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,023 NT$159.2K

$5,222 NT$165.5K

-3.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$636 NT$20.2K

$1,393 NT$44.1K

-54.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.35

2.27

3.52%

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

Last update for Taitung: August 31, 2026

Last update for Taichung: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $402 in Taitung and $401 in Taichung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taichung pays 119% 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: $48.00 in Taitung vs $32.00 in Taichung. Groceries flip the comparison at $344 vs $369, 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 14% 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, salaries run 119% lower in Taichung. 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: $402 in Taitung versus $401 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 $48.00 versus $32.00 in Taichung. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,007 per month in Taitung versus $1,148 in Taichung – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,007 in Taitung versus $1,148 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 14% less than in Taichung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.