Cost of Living Comparison Between Taoyuan and Taipei Cost of Living Comparison Between Taoyuan and Taipei

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,098 per month in Taoyuan vs $1,494 in Taipei, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,727 per month in Taoyuan vs $2,394 in Taipei, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,357 per month in Taoyuan vs $3,295 in Taipei, rent included.

Taoyuan is about 27% cheaper than Taipei, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Taoyuan sits 18% below the global median, while Taipei is 11% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.13 NT$162

$6.64 NT$209

-22.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.61 NT$806

$40.45 NT$1,273

-36.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.24 NT$196

$5.79 NT$182

7.77%

Cappuccino

$2.78 NT$87.5

$3.75 NT$118

-25.87%

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

$1.28 NT$40.33

$1.13 NT$35.42

13.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 NT$26.08

$0.72 NT$22.75

15.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.70 NT$53.4

$3.31 NT$104

-48.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 NT$73.4

$3.30 NT$104

-29.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.27 NT$103

$3.12 NT$98.2

4.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 NT$43.95

$1.98 NT$62.3

-29.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.44 NT$76.9

$3.07 NT$96.5

-20.52%

Eggs

$2.21 NT$69.6

$2.91 NT$91.7

-24.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.71 NT$274

$19.73 NT$621

-55.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.03 NT$253

$9.90 NT$311

-18.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.94 NT$502

$20.36 NT$641

-21.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 NT$104

$5.15 NT$162

-35.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 NT$61.8

$2.92 NT$91.8

-32.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 NT$84.7

$2.89 NT$90.8

-6.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.90 NT$91.4

$4.26 NT$134

-31.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 NT$72.4

$2.79 NT$88.0

-17.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.84 NT$58.0

$2.19 NT$69.1

-15.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 NT$81.1

$1.97 NT$62.1

30.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 NT$26.75

$1.39 NT$43.72

-38.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.60 NT$208

$4.00 NT$126

65.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 NT$349

$14.48 NT$456

-23.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 NT$56.3

$1.75 NT$55.1

2.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 NT$77.7

$2.42 NT$76.2

2.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 NT$21.92

$0.89 NT$28.05

-21.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.62 NT$1,278

$41.16 NT$1,296

-1.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 NT$94.5

$2.91 NT$91.6

3.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 NT$22.74

$0.79 NT$24.94

-8.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.30 NT$261

$10.05 NT$316

-17.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 NT$32.15

$1.07 NT$33.63

-4.67%

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

$35.7K NT$1.1M

$38.1K NT$1.2M

-6.33%

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

$26.1K NT$821.1K

$27.9K NT$877.6K

-6.44%

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

$65.3 NT$2,056

$84.9 NT$2,672

-23.06%

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

$28.83 NT$907

$18.69 NT$588

54.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.65 NT$618

$24.75 NT$779

-20.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.15 NT$1,169

$42.03 NT$1,323

-11.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.09 NT$318

$14.06 NT$443

-28.24%

Cinema Ticket

$10.05 NT$316

$11.84 NT$373

-15.12%

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

$572 NT$18.0K

$626 NT$19.7K

-8.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.5K NT$488.1K

$18.6K NT$586.5K

-16.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.9 NT$2,609

$58.9 NT$1,855

40.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.90 NT$752

$34.01 NT$1,071

-29.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.9 NT$2,608

$95.1 NT$2,995

-12.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.8 NT$3,142

$124 NT$3,891

-19.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 NT$13.5K

$789 NT$24.8K

-45.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 NT$11.0K

$541 NT$17.0K

-35.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$847 NT$26.7K

$1,667 NT$52.5K

-49.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$610 NT$19.2K

$1,113 NT$35.0K

-45.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,522 NT$236.8K

$13.7K NT$430.6K

-45.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,705 NT$148.1K

$8,450 NT$266.0K

-44.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,522 NT$47.9K

$1,713 NT$53.9K

-11.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.57

2.19

-28.31%

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

Last update for Taoyuan: June 1, 2026

Last update for Taipei: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Taoyuan versus $789 in Taipei. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 13% higher in Taipei, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Taoyuan versus $40.00 in Taipei. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $401 – 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 Taipei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Taipei is pricier by about 36%, 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 $1,647 per month in Taoyuan and $2,240 in Taipei. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,098 in Taoyuan and $1,494 in Taipei. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 1% less in Taoyuan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Taoyuan, where all-in costs run around $1,098, than in Taipei at $1,494. In Taoyuan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Taipei 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, Taipei makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.