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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,143 per month in Taiwan vs $2,316 in Canada, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,900 per month in Taiwan vs $3,376 in Canada, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,656 per month in Taiwan vs $4,436 in Canada, rent included.

Taiwan is roughly 51% cheaper than Canada on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Taiwan sits 15% below the global median, while Canada is 73% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Canada has a wider regional cost range ($1,310$3,100) than Taiwan ($899$1,494), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Canada.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Taiwan
Canada
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.10 NT$161
$18.44 CA$25.53
-72.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$33.68 NT$1,060
$74.5 CA$103
-54.78%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.37 NT$169
$10.88 CA$15.07
-50.64%
Cappuccino
$3.24 NT$102
$3.90 CA$5.39
-16.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.05 NT$33.00
$2.16 CA$2.99
-51.39%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.75 NT$23.61
$1.73 CA$2.40
-56.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.00 NT$63.0
$5.74 CA$7.94
-65.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.66 NT$83.9
$6.05 CA$8.37
-56.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Taiwan
Canada
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.18 NT$100
$2.20 CA$3.05
44.55%
White Bread (500g)
$1.92 NT$60.3
$2.75 CA$3.81
-30.18%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.26 NT$103
$3.66 CA$5.07
-10.93%
Eggs
$2.99 NT$94.3
$3.63 CA$5.03
-17.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.67 NT$556
$11.72 CA$16.22
50.77%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.11 NT$287
$12.28 CA$17.01
-25.81%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.26 NT$638
$14.88 CA$20.60
36.16%
Apples (1kg)
$4.95 NT$156
$4.14 CA$5.73
19.57%
Banana (1kg)
$2.57 NT$81.0
$1.45 CA$2.01
77.24%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.86 NT$90.0
$3.79 CA$5.25
-24.54%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.76 NT$118
$4.09 CA$5.66
-8.07%
Potato (1kg)
$2.95 NT$92.7
$2.73 CA$3.78
8.06%
Onion (1kg)
$2.32 NT$73.0
$2.77 CA$3.83
-16.25%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.17 NT$68.2
$2.62 CA$3.62
-17.18%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.32 NT$41.47
$1.87 CA$2.59
-29.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.22 NT$133
$14.79 CA$20.48
-71.47%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.28 NT$450
$13.08 CA$18.11
9.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 NT$54.1
$3.03 CA$4.19
-43.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45 NT$77.2
$3.41 CA$4.72
-28.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Taiwan
Canada
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.83 NT$26.19
$2.52 CA$3.49
-67.06%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$39.97 NT$1,258
$77.9 CA$108
-48.66%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.00 NT$94.4
$3.49 CA$4.83
-14.04%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 NT$24.49
$1.48 CA$2.04
-47.30%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.07 NT$317
$28.25 CA$39.12
-64.35%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.01 NT$31.77
$1.15 CA$1.59
-12.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.6K NT$1.2M
$25.4K CA$35.2K
43.75%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K NT$841.9K
$20.6K CA$28.6K
29.64%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Taiwan
Canada
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.7 NT$2,665
$155 CA$214
-45.31%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.12 NT$759
$45.76 CA$63.4
-47.29%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.17 NT$761
$62.2 CA$86.1
-61.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Taiwan
Canada
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.05 NT$1,229
$43.67 CA$60.5
-10.58%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.63 NT$366
$18.14 CA$25.11
-35.89%
Cinema Ticket
$10.94 NT$344
$11.38 CA$15.76
-3.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Taiwan
Canada
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$551 NT$17.3K
$798 CA$1,104
-30.95%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.8K NT$497.8K
$12.1K CA$16.8K
30.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Taiwan
Canada
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$67.0 NT$2,109
$56.8 CA$78.7
17.94%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.52 NT$1,055
$42.19 CA$58.4
-20.55%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.7 NT$2,886
$87.9 CA$122
4.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$118 NT$3,727
$106 CA$147
11.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Taiwan
Canada
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$528 NT$16.6K
$1,359 CA$1,882
-61.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$365 NT$11.5K
$1,204 CA$1,667
-69.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,199 NT$37.7K
$2,136 CA$2,957
-43.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$854 NT$26.9K
$1,860 CA$2,575
-54.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$9,308 NT$293.0K
$4,642 CA$6,427
100.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,104 NT$192.1K
$3,852 CA$5,333
58.45%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Taiwan
Canada
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,740 NT$54.8K
$3,029 CA$4,194
-42.56%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.14
6.33
-66.19%

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

Last update for Taiwan: June 2, 2026

Last update for Canada: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $452 in Taiwan vs $1,281 in Canada. For reference, capital cities sit at $789 in Taipei and $1,500 in Ottawa.

Average salary: $1,916 in Taiwan vs $2,972 in Canada. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 183% higher in Canada.

Dining out costs 119% more in Canada.

Public transport is 71% more expensive in Canada.

Salaries are 55% higher in Canada, giving Taiwan stronger purchasing power.

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 84% 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 84% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget in Canada or 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 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.

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