Cost of Living Comparison Between Taiwan and Canada Cost of Living Comparison Between Taiwan and Canada

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,072 per month in Taiwan vs $2,214 in Canada, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,760 per month in Taiwan vs $3,247 in Canada, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,447 per month in Taiwan vs $4,279 in Canada, rent included.

The cost of living in Taiwan is roughly 52% lower than in Canada on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Taiwan sits 22% below the global median, while Canada is 61% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

The regional cost range is wider in Canada ($891$3,752) than in Taiwan ($786$1,371), so city choice matters more there.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Taiwan
Canada
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70 NT$149
$17.99 CA$24.99
-73.87%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.66 NT$1,003
$71.3 CA$99.1
-55.58%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.42 NT$172
$10.91 CA$15.16
-50.32%
Cappuccino
$3.00 NT$94.9
$3.88 CA$5.39
-22.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.02 NT$32.25
$2.17 CA$3.02
-53.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.65 NT$20.57
$1.67 CA$2.33
-61.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.84 NT$58.4
$5.80 CA$8.06
-68.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48 NT$78.6
$5.81 CA$8.08
-57.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Taiwan
Canada
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.03 NT$96.1
$2.19 CA$3.05
38.36%
White Bread (500g)
$1.95 NT$61.8
$2.75 CA$3.82
-29.09%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.15 NT$99.7
$3.69 CA$5.13
-14.63%
Eggs
$2.62 NT$82.9
$3.68 CA$5.11
-28.80%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.91 NT$567
$10.83 CA$15.06
65.37%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.93 NT$283
$12.20 CA$16.95
-26.80%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.85 NT$660
$15.58 CA$21.65
33.83%
Apples (1kg)
$4.64 NT$147
$4.18 CA$5.81
11.00%
Banana (1kg)
$2.63 NT$83.3
$1.42 CA$1.97
85.21%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.00 NT$94.9
$4.02 CA$5.59
-25.37%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.81 NT$121
$4.17 CA$5.80
-8.63%
Potato (1kg)
$2.70 NT$85.6
$2.73 CA$3.79
-1.10%
Onion (1kg)
$2.26 NT$71.7
$2.54 CA$3.53
-11.02%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.09 NT$66.3
$2.57 CA$3.57
-18.68%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 NT$38.41
$1.72 CA$2.39
-29.65%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.04 NT$128
$14.43 CA$20.05
-72.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.77 NT$404
$13.62 CA$18.92
-6.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.64 NT$52.0
$2.90 CA$4.02
-43.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 NT$72.1
$3.26 CA$4.53
-30.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Taiwan
Canada
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.60 NT$19.16
$2.48 CA$3.44
-75.81%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$37.56 NT$1,190
$74.9 CA$104
-49.83%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.77 NT$87.8
$3.11 CA$4.32
-10.93%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.82 NT$25.95
$1.48 CA$2.06
-44.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.73 NT$308
$27.37 CA$38.03
-64.45%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.00 NT$31.66
$1.17 CA$1.63
-14.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.7K NT$1.1M
$28.1K CA$39.1K
19.89%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.7K NT$751.4K
$20.0K CA$27.8K
18.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Taiwan
Canada
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$85.2 NT$2,698
$154 CA$214
-44.81%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.55 NT$556
$43.31 CA$60.2
-59.48%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.21 NT$767
$60.3 CA$83.8
-59.87%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Taiwan
Canada
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.32 NT$1,214
$41.22 CA$57.3
-7.04%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.61 NT$368
$20.08 CA$27.90
-42.18%
Cinema Ticket
$10.01 NT$317
$11.64 CA$16.18
-14.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Taiwan
Canada
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$559 NT$17.7K
$782 CA$1,087
-28.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.3K NT$516.6K
$14.8K CA$20.6K
10.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Taiwan
Canada
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.7 NT$2,048
$54.9 CA$76.3
17.73%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.32 NT$1,055
$39.73 CA$55.2
-16.13%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$82.9 NT$2,626
$90.3 CA$125
-8.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 NT$3,264
$107 CA$148
-3.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Taiwan
Canada
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$522 NT$16.5K
$1,317 CA$1,830
-60.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$312 NT$9,887
$1,136 CA$1,578
-72.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,141 NT$36.1K
$2,089 CA$2,903
-45.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$790 NT$25.0K
$1,809 CA$2,514
-56.32%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,109 NT$256.8K
$4,846 CA$6,735
67.33%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,595 NT$177.2K
$3,928 CA$5,458
42.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Taiwan
Canada
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,747 NT$55.3K
$2,998 CA$4,166
-41.72%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.42
4.86
-50.21%

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

Last update for Taiwan: August 30, 2026

Last update for Canada: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $422 in Taiwan vs $1,225 in Canada. For reference, capital cities sit at $866 in Taipei and $1,501 in Ottawa.

Average salary: $1,903 in Taiwan vs $2,968 in Canada. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 190% higher in Canada.

Dining out costs 106% more in Canada.

Public transport is 103% more expensive in Canada.

Salaries are 56% higher in Canada, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Taiwan.

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
Taiwan vs Canada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Canada more expensive than Taiwan?
Taiwan is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 115% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Canada, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Canada consistently has higher rents.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Taiwan, contributing to the overall 115% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget in Canada or in Taiwan?
$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Taiwan, but in Canada it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Should I move to Canada or to Taiwan?
Taiwan is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

Taiwan vs other spots: cost of living compared

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