Cost of Living Comparison Between Taiwan and ItalyCost of Living Comparison Between Taiwan and Italy
Monthly Cost of Living
🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,072 in Taiwan versus $1,792 in Italy.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,760 in Taiwan versus $2,735 in Italy.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,447 in Taiwan versus $3,678 in Italy.
🌍Living in Taiwan costs about 40% less than in Italy on average.
📊Taiwan (22% below) and Italy (30% above) straddle the global median.
📏Internal cost variation is higher in Italy: monthly costs span $1,168 to $2,645, compared to $786–$1,371 in Taiwan. City choice carries more weight in Italy.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Taiwan
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70NT$149
$21.31€18.38
-77.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.66NT$1,003
$81.6€70.4
-61.19%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.42NT$172
$11.64€10.04
-53.44%
Cappuccino
$3.00NT$94.9
$2.02€1.75
48.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.02NT$32.25
$3.15€2.72
-67.62%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.65NT$20.57
$1.45€1.25
-55.17%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.84NT$58.4
$5.69€4.91
-67.66%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48NT$78.6
$5.94€5.13
-58.25%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Taiwan
Italy
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$3.03NT$96.1
$1.69€1.46
79.29%
White Bread(500g)
$1.95NT$61.8
$2.48€2.14
-21.37%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.15NT$99.7
$2.97€2.56
6.06%
Eggs
$2.62NT$82.9
$4.32€3.73
-39.35%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$17.91NT$567
$17.42€15.03
2.81%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.93NT$283
$12.79€11.03
-30.18%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$20.85NT$660
$21.28€18.36
-2.02%
Apples(1kg)
$4.64NT$147
$2.64€2.28
75.76%
Banana(1kg)
$2.63NT$83.3
$2.21€1.91
19.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.00NT$94.9
$2.79€2.41
7.53%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.81NT$121
$3.37€2.91
13.06%
Potato(1kg)
$2.70NT$85.6
$2.10€1.81
28.57%
Onion(1kg)
$2.26NT$71.7
$1.97€1.70
14.72%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.09NT$66.3
$1.60€1.38
30.62%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.21NT$38.41
$0.57€0.49
112.28%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.04NT$128
$7.13€6.15
-43.34%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.77NT$404
$7.59€6.54
68.25%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.64NT$52.0
$1.85€1.59
-11.35%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28NT$72.1
$2.50€2.15
-8.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Taiwan
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.60NT$19.16
$2.00€1.72
-70.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$37.56NT$1,190
$45.09€38.89
-16.70%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.77NT$87.8
$5.80€5.00
-52.24%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.82NT$25.95
$1.79€1.54
-54.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$9.73NT$308
$34.95€30.14
-72.16%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.00NT$31.66
$2.13€1.83
-53.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.7KNT$1.1M
$37.4K€32.2K
-9.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.7KNT$751.4K
$36.3K€31.3K
-34.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Taiwan
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$85.2NT$2,698
$239€206
-64.31%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.55NT$556
$12.14€10.47
44.56%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.21NT$767
$31.42€27.10
-22.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Taiwan
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$38.32NT$1,214
$54.9€47.37
-30.24%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.61NT$368
$24.84€21.43
-53.26%
Cinema Ticket
$10.01NT$317
$10.92€9.42
-8.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Taiwan
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$559NT$17.7K
$568€490
-1.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.3KNT$516.6K
$12.2K€10.5K
33.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Taiwan
Italy
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.7NT$2,048
$93.7€80.8
-30.96%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.32NT$1,055
$40.71€35.12
-18.15%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$82.9NT$2,626
$105€90.5
-20.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103NT$3,264
$139€120
-26.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Taiwan
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$522NT$16.5K
$857€739
-39.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$312NT$9,887
$657€567
-52.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,141NT$36.1K
$1,476€1,273
-22.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$790NT$25.0K
$1,093€942
-27.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$8,109NT$256.8K
$3,786€3,265
114.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$5,595NT$177.2K
$2,332€2,011
139.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Taiwan
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,747NT$55.3K
$1,928€1,663
-9.37%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
2.42
3.57
-32.21%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Taiwan: August 30, 2026
Last update for Italy: August 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $422 in Taiwan, $758 in Italy. Capital cities: $866 in Taipei vs $1,244 in Rome.
💰National salary averages: $1,903 in Taiwan, $1,967 in Italy. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 80% higher in Italy.
⭐Dining out costs 138% more in Italy.
⭐Public transport is 48% more expensive in Italy.
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 Italy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Italy and Taiwan?
At $1,907 per month in Italy and $1,079 in Taiwan, there's a 77% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Taiwan: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Italy is consistently higher than in Taiwan across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget in Italy or in Taiwan?
In Taiwan, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in Italy it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Italy or to Taiwan?
It depends on what you're after: Taiwan wins on affordability; Italy may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.