Cost of Living Comparison Between Taoyuan and San Salvador Cost of Living Comparison Between Taoyuan and San Salvador

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,218 in Taoyuan versus $1,628 in San Salvador.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,821 in Taoyuan versus $2,448 in San Salvador.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,424 in Taoyuan versus $3,267 in San Salvador.

Living in Taoyuan costs roughly 25% less than in San Salvador, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Taoyuan is 11% below, San Salvador is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 NT$140

$6.90 $6.90

-36.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.16 NT$798

$43.49 $43.49

-42.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 NT$178

$6.84 $6.84

-17.84%

Cappuccino

$3.06 NT$97.1

$3.62 $3.62

-15.47%

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

$1.03 NT$32.59

$1.16 $1.16

-11.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 NT$22.71

$0.87 $0.87

-17.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 NT$58.3

$2.05 $2.05

-10.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 NT$74.3

$3.40 $3.40

-31.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.97 NT$94.1

$1.77 $1.77

67.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 NT$39.27

$2.89 $2.89

-57.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.60 NT$82.3

$1.44 $1.44

80.56%

Eggs

$2.20 NT$70.0

$3.05 $3.05

-27.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.44 NT$299

$7.90 $7.90

19.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.51 NT$238

$6.92 $6.92

8.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.60 NT$685

$10.37 $10.37

108.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.88 NT$123

$5.08 $5.08

-23.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 NT$64.5

$1.47 $1.47

38.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 NT$94.3

$2.93 $2.93

1.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.15 NT$100.0

$3.53 $3.53

-10.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 NT$81.8

$2.98 $2.98

-13.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 NT$64.2

$3.32 $3.32

-39.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 NT$71.9

$0.95 $0.95

138.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 NT$29.20

$0.99 $0.99

-7.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.96 NT$157

$3.91 $3.91

26.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.07 NT$351

$12.24 $12.24

-9.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 NT$46.60

$2.24 $2.24

-34.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 NT$66.1

$2.97 $2.97

-29.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 NT$18.46

$0.36 $0.36

61.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.32 NT$1,184

$36.96 $36.96

0.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 NT$92.5

$6.03 $6.03

-51.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 NT$26.16

$3.08 $3.08

-73.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.92 NT$220

$19.97 $19.97

-65.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 NT$32.03

$1.22 $1.22

-17.21%

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

$33.4K NT$1.1M

$24.8K $24.8K

34.50%

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

$23.5K NT$746.5K

$26.9K $26.9K

-12.56%

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

$70.8 NT$2,247

$132 $132

-46.23%

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

$18.33 NT$581

$21.62 $21.62

-15.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.86 NT$694

$41.75 $41.75

-47.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.39 NT$1,091

$32.02 $32.02

7.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.05 NT$224

$21.90 $21.90

-67.81%

Cinema Ticket

$10.86 NT$345

$5.10 $5.10

112.94%

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

$530 NT$16.8K

$161 $161

230.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.7K NT$1.0M

$4,667 $4,667

579.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.8 NT$2,944

$67.4 $67.4

37.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 NT$785

$47.35 $47.35

-47.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.3 NT$2,705

$119 $119

-28.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.1 NT$3,082

$119 $119

-18.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$648 NT$20.6K

$885 $885

-26.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 NT$14.1K

$782 $782

-43.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$975 NT$30.9K

$1,831 $1,831

-46.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$737 NT$23.4K

$1,368 $1,368

-46.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 NT$233.3K

$2,797 $2,797

162.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,788 NT$151.9K

$1,847 $1,847

159.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,569 NT$49.8K

$378 $378

314.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.18

8.5

-74.35%

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

Last update for Taoyuan: August 30, 2026

Last update for San Salvador: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $648 in Taoyuan and $885 in San Salvador. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taoyuan pays 315% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $25.00 in Taoyuan vs $43.00 in San Salvador. Groceries flip the comparison at $317 vs $291, with San Salvador cheaper for home cooking.

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 San Salvador: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taoyuan wins on cost – living expenses run 34% lower than in San Salvador. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Taoyuan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 315% higher in Taoyuan, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $648 in Taoyuan versus $885 in San Salvador. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in San Salvador pay roughly 9% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Taoyuan – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $43.00 in San Salvador. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,218 in Taoyuan versus $1,628 in San Salvador, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Taoyuan but tight or insufficient in San Salvador. The gap between the two cities makes Taoyuan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Taoyuan and San Salvador are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Taoyuan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in San Salvador. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.