Cost of Living Comparison Between Taoyuan and Kinmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Taoyuan and Kinmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,107 per month in Taoyuan vs $1,155 in Kinmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,706 per month in Taoyuan vs $1,928 in Kinmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,305 per month in Taoyuan vs $2,700 in Kinmen, rent included.

Taoyuan is about 4% cheaper than Kinmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Taoyuan and Kinmen are more affordable than the global median – Taoyuan 18% lower, Kinmen 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.00 NT$158

$5.11 NT$162

-2.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.74 NT$814

$30.12 NT$952

-14.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.02 NT$190

$5.29 NT$167

13.80%

Cappuccino

$2.83 NT$89.6

$2.99 NT$94.6

-5.35%

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

$1.23 NT$38.97

$1.05 NT$33.16

17.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 NT$24.25

$0.71 NT$22.53

8.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.63 NT$51.6

$1.81 NT$57.2

-9.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 NT$74.5

$2.70 NT$85.3

-12.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.30 NT$104

$3.28 NT$104

0.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 NT$43.61

$1.94 NT$61.4

-28.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 NT$79.4

$2.79 NT$88.2

-10.04%

Eggs

$2.29 NT$72.4

$2.91 NT$91.9

-21.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.09 NT$287

$19.11 NT$604

-52.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.84 NT$248

$8.01 NT$253

-2.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.02 NT$506

$17.24 NT$545

-7.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 NT$100

$4.76 NT$151

-33.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 NT$60.4

$2.52 NT$79.7

-24.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.65 NT$83.7

$2.64 NT$83.6

0.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 NT$95.7

$3.48 NT$110

-12.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.39 NT$75.6

$2.83 NT$89.4

-15.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 NT$57.9

$2.16 NT$68.3

-15.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 NT$79.9

$2.04 NT$64.4

24.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 NT$29.49

$1.20 NT$37.98

-22.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.29 NT$199

$4.15 NT$131

51.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.26 NT$356

$14.11 NT$446

-20.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 NT$57.6

$1.71 NT$54.1

6.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 NT$74.4

$2.44 NT$77.1

-3.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 NT$20.79

$0.86 NT$27.34

-23.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.47 NT$1,311

$39.63 NT$1,253

4.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 NT$94.0

$2.82 NT$89.1

5.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 NT$23.13

$0.77 NT$24.35

-5.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.92 NT$250

$10.20 NT$322

-22.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 NT$33.46

$1.03 NT$32.51

2.91%

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

$36.9K NT$1.2M

$36.0K NT$1.1M

2.43%

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

$26.4K NT$833.4K

$26.0K NT$820.4K

1.58%

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

$64.3 NT$2,032

$85.8 NT$2,711

-25.03%

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

$29.32 NT$927

$24.16 NT$764

21.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.22 NT$607

$22.39 NT$708

-14.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.56 NT$1,187

$36.96 NT$1,168

1.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.20 NT$322

$15.20 NT$481

-32.89%

Cinema Ticket

$10.22 NT$323

$10.18 NT$322

0.39%

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

$579 NT$18.3K

$424 NT$13.4K

36.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K NT$483.8K

$15.7K NT$494.8K

-2.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.1 NT$2,533

$83.7 NT$2,644

-4.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.42 NT$740

$34.97 NT$1,105

-33.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.5 NT$2,639

$91.3 NT$2,887

-8.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 NT$3,185

$103 NT$3,271

-2.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 NT$13.6K

$426 NT$13.5K

1.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$352 NT$11.1K

$290 NT$9,165

21.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$839 NT$26.5K

$1,029 NT$32.5K

-18.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$599 NT$18.9K

$718 NT$22.7K

-16.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,660 NT$242.1K

$8,444 NT$266.9K

-9.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,716 NT$149.1K

$4,764 NT$150.6K

-1.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,557 NT$49.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.57

2.18

-27.98%

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

Last update for Taoyuan: June 8, 2026

Last update for Kinmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Taoyuan versus $426 in Kinmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Taoyuan versus $30.00 in Kinmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $302 vs $368 – making Taoyuan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Taoyuan vs Kinmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Kinmen is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,660 per month in Taoyuan and $1,732 in Kinmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Taoyuan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $579 per month in Taoyuan and $424 in Kinmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Kinmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Taoyuan, where all-in costs run around $1,107, than in Kinmen at $1,155. In Taoyuan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kinmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Taoyuan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Taoyuan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kinmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.