Cost of Living Comparison Between Taiwan and SpainCost of Living Comparison Between Taiwan and Spain
Monthly Cost of Living
🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,146 in Taiwan versus $1,642 in Spain.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,897 in Taiwan versus $2,399 in Spain.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,647 in Taiwan versus $3,155 in Spain.
🙂Living in Taiwan costs about 30% less than in Spain on average.
📊Taiwan (15% below) and Spain (22% above) straddle the global median.
📏Internal cost variation is higher in Spain: monthly costs span $1,127 to $3,255, compared to $877–$1,497 in Taiwan. City choice carries more weight in Spain.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Taiwan
Spain
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.05NT$160
$15.98€13.81
-68.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$33.32NT$1,053
$57.6€49.77
-42.15%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.53NT$175
$10.27€8.88
-46.15%
Cappuccino
$3.18NT$101
$2.38€2.05
33.61%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.04NT$32.99
$2.58€2.23
-59.69%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70NT$22.11
$1.83€1.59
-61.75%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.99NT$63.1
$3.54€3.06
-43.79%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68NT$84.6
$4.09€3.53
-34.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Taiwan
Spain
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$3.30NT$104
$1.22€1.06
170.49%
White Bread(500g)
$1.93NT$61.1
$1.53€1.32
26.14%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.27NT$103
$1.60€1.39
104.38%
Eggs
$2.92NT$92.5
$2.93€2.53
-0.34%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$17.49NT$553
$14.33€12.38
22.05%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.11NT$288
$8.31€7.18
9.63%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$20.47NT$647
$15.62€13.50
31.05%
Apples(1kg)
$4.84NT$153
$2.53€2.18
91.30%
Banana(1kg)
$2.58NT$81.5
$1.99€1.72
29.65%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.90NT$91.7
$2.11€1.83
37.44%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.73NT$118
$2.54€2.20
46.85%
Potato(1kg)
$2.85NT$90.2
$1.77€1.53
61.02%
Onion(1kg)
$2.24NT$70.9
$1.98€1.71
13.13%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.08NT$65.6
$1.30€1.12
60.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.30NT$41.17
$0.74€0.64
75.68%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.19NT$132
$6.19€5.35
-32.31%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.33NT$453
$5.93€5.12
141.65%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72NT$54.5
$1.25€1.08
37.60%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.36NT$74.6
$2.07€1.79
14.01%
🚌 Getting Around
Taiwan
Spain
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.88NT$27.76
$1.78€1.54
-50.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.45NT$1,310
$34.91€30.16
18.73%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.13NT$98.8
$4.48€3.87
-30.13%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.73NT$23.04
$1.34€1.15
-45.52%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$9.97NT$315
$26.24€22.68
-62.00%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.05NT$33.28
$1.76€1.52
-40.34%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.0KNT$1.2M
$38.2K€33.0K
-3.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1KNT$824.6K
$31.6K€27.3K
-17.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Taiwan
Spain
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.4NT$2,638
$149€128
-43.87%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.03NT$759
$20.16€17.42
19.20%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.86NT$754
$34.11€29.48
-30.05%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Taiwan
Spain
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$39.19NT$1,239
$47.12€40.72
-16.83%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.83NT$374
$15.83€13.68
-25.27%
Cinema Ticket
$11.05NT$349
$9.47€8.18
16.68%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Taiwan
Spain
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$556NT$17.6K
$517€446
7.67%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7KNT$497.6K
$10.2K€8,777
54.99%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Taiwan
Spain
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$67.9NT$2,145
$87.2€75.3
-22.15%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.79NT$1,036
$37.36€32.28
-12.23%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$92.4NT$2,921
$91.3€78.9
1.20%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$117NT$3,694
$106€91.2
10.71%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Taiwan
Spain
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$540NT$17.1K
$1,074€928
-49.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$374NT$11.8K
$815€704
-54.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,179NT$37.3K
$1,691€1,461
-30.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$867NT$27.4K
$1,228€1,061
-29.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$9,333NT$295.0K
$4,338€3,749
115.14%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,081NT$192.2K
$2,744€2,371
121.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Taiwan
Spain
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,757NT$55.5K
$2,031€1,755
-13.48%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
2.14
3.51
-39.03%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Taiwan: June 7, 2026
Last update for Spain: June 9, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $451 in Taiwan, $898 in Spain. Capital cities: $782 in Taipei vs $1,609 in Madrid.
💰National salary averages: $1,918 in Taiwan, $2,011 in Spain. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 99% higher in Spain.
⭐Dining out costs 71% more in Spain.
⭐Public transport is 18% more expensive 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 Spain: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Spain or Taiwan?
At $2,191 per month in Spain and $1,187 in Taiwan, there's a 85% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Spain or Taiwan?
Taiwan is simply cheaper day-to-day: 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.
How do rents compare between Spain and Taiwan?
Rent in Spain beats Taiwan across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
How far does $2,000 go in Spain vs Taiwan?
In Taiwan, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In Spain, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in Spain and Taiwan?
It depends on what you're after. Taiwan wins on affordability; Spain may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.