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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,133 per month in Taoyuan vs $1,127 in Kinmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,711 per month in Taoyuan vs $1,886 in Kinmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,289 per month in Taoyuan vs $2,646 in Kinmen, rent included.

Taoyuan costs about 1% more than Kinmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Taoyuan and Kinmen are more affordable than the global median – Taoyuan 15% lower, Kinmen 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.06 NT$160

$5.11 NT$161

-0.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.54 NT$806

$30.99 NT$978

-17.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.17 NT$195

$5.34 NT$169

15.54%

Cappuccino

$2.94 NT$92.7

$2.96 NT$93.4

-0.68%

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

$1.29 NT$40.77

$1.10 NT$34.59

17.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 NT$24.75

$0.73 NT$22.91

6.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 NT$53.0

$1.80 NT$56.9

-6.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 NT$75.8

$2.76 NT$87.0

-13.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.21 NT$101

$3.17 NT$100

1.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 NT$43.45

$1.95 NT$61.4

-29.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 NT$79.7

$2.92 NT$92.1

-13.36%

Eggs

$2.23 NT$70.4

$2.91 NT$91.7

-23.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 NT$290

$18.90 NT$597

-51.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.02 NT$253

$8.31 NT$262

-3.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.90 NT$502

$16.85 NT$532

-5.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 NT$106

$4.52 NT$143

-26.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 NT$60.0

$2.53 NT$79.7

-24.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 NT$82.8

$2.66 NT$83.9

-1.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 NT$94.8

$3.48 NT$110

-13.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 NT$77.0

$2.80 NT$88.5

-12.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 NT$59.5

$2.24 NT$70.6

-15.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 NT$80.7

$2.06 NT$64.9

24.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 NT$27.54

$1.20 NT$38.01

-27.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 NT$209

$4.18 NT$132

58.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.44 NT$298

$13.93 NT$440

-32.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 NT$58.0

$1.70 NT$53.7

8.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 NT$74.8

$2.54 NT$80.3

-6.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 NT$22.02

$0.83 NT$26.22

-15.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.05 NT$1,296

$38.88 NT$1,227

5.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 NT$98.7

$2.96 NT$93.4

5.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 NT$24.74

$0.73 NT$23.01

6.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.03 NT$254

$10.00 NT$316

-19.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 NT$33.26

$1.08 NT$34.01

-2.78%

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

$35.9K NT$1.1M

$34.8K NT$1.1M

3.03%

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

$26.4K NT$832.3K

$26.1K NT$824.0K

1.00%

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

$65.2 NT$2,058

$85.0 NT$2,683

-23.30%

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

$29.34 NT$926

$24.64 NT$778

19.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.10 NT$603

$22.33 NT$705

-14.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.10 NT$1,171

$37.99 NT$1,199

-2.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.26 NT$324

$14.88 NT$470

-31.05%

Cinema Ticket

$9.97 NT$315

$10.07 NT$318

-0.99%

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

$575 NT$18.2K

$426 NT$13.4K

35.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K NT$484.5K

$15.3K NT$482.5K

0.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.6 NT$2,607

$83.9 NT$2,649

-1.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.12 NT$762

$34.07 NT$1,075

-29.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 NT$2,673

$90.5 NT$2,858

-6.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 NT$3,192

$100 NT$3,167

0.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 NT$13.4K

$437 NT$13.8K

-3.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 NT$10.8K

$292 NT$9,219

17.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 NT$26.4K

$1,040 NT$32.8K

-19.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$613 NT$19.4K

$719 NT$22.7K

-14.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,004 NT$252.7K

$7,225 NT$228.1K

10.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,235 NT$165.3K

$5,930 NT$187.2K

-11.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,536 NT$48.5K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Kinmen: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Taoyuan versus $437 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 $31.00 in Kinmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $299 vs $366 – 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 – Taoyuan is pricier by about 1%, 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 $1,700 per month in Taoyuan and $1,690 in Kinmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $575 per month in Taoyuan and $426 in Kinmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 23% cheaper in Taoyuan – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kinmen, where all-in costs run around $1,127, than in Taoyuan at $1,133. In Kinmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Taoyuan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kinmen – 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 Kinmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Taoyuan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.