Cost of Living Comparison Between Yilan and Kaohsiung Cost of Living Comparison Between Yilan and Kaohsiung

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,081 in Yilan versus $1,186 in Kaohsiung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,712 in Yilan versus $1,952 in Kaohsiung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,343 in Yilan versus $2,719 in Kaohsiung.

Living in Yilan costs roughly 9% less than in Kaohsiung, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Yilan 19% lower, Kaohsiung 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.55 NT$115

$4.12 NT$133

-13.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.77 NT$994

$33.84 NT$1,093

-9.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.36 NT$173

$5.39 NT$174

-0.56%

Cappuccino

$2.99 NT$96.7

$2.96 NT$95.8

1.01%

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

$1.15 NT$37.19

$0.98 NT$31.80

17.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 NT$24.39

$0.76 NT$24.57

-1.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 NT$49.56

$1.74 NT$56.1

-12.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 NT$95.1

$2.70 NT$87.2

8.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.62 NT$117

$3.55 NT$115

1.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 NT$54.5

$1.97 NT$63.8

-14.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 NT$63.5

$2.63 NT$85.0

-25.48%

Eggs

$2.74 NT$88.4

$3.21 NT$104

-14.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.74 NT$1,025

$15.90 NT$514

99.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.08 NT$261

$9.50 NT$307

-14.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.01 NT$517

$17.68 NT$571

-9.45%

Apples (1kg)

$4.56 NT$147

$6.13 NT$198

-25.61%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 NT$27.96

$2.55 NT$82.6

-65.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 NT$71.7

$2.82 NT$91.0

-21.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 NT$56.2

$4.03 NT$130

-56.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 NT$41.67

$2.96 NT$95.6

-56.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 NT$45.01

$2.25 NT$72.7

-38.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 NT$70.2

$1.89 NT$61.0

14.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 NT$39.84

$1.15 NT$37.18

6.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 NT$133

$4.31 NT$139

-4.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.32 NT$495

$15.26 NT$493

0.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 NT$46.06

$1.71 NT$55.4

-16.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 NT$83.5

$2.56 NT$82.8

0.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 NT$33.36

$0.88 NT$28.29

17.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.65 NT$1,119

$27.22 NT$880

27.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 NT$94.0

$2.86 NT$92.4

1.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 NT$38.75

$0.77 NT$24.96

55.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.16 NT$328

$6.28 NT$203

61.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 NT$32.53

$1.03 NT$33.20

-1.94%

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

$27.6K NT$893.2K

$34.1K NT$1.1M

-18.95%

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

$22.8K NT$737.6K

$24.9K NT$805.6K

-8.45%

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

$60.4 NT$1,951

$104 NT$3,372

-42.15%

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

$16.63 NT$537

$24.88 NT$804

-33.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.93 NT$709

$25.03 NT$809

-12.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.86 NT$1,029

$39.26 NT$1,269

-18.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.93 NT$547

$11.20 NT$362

51.16%

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 NT$321

$10.35 NT$334

-4.15%

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

$367 NT$11.8K

$422 NT$13.6K

-13.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.6K NT$666.5K

$11.2K NT$361.7K

84.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.8 NT$2,319

$95.4 NT$3,082

-24.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.71 NT$1,121

$35.24 NT$1,139

-1.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 NT$2,547

$88.6 NT$2,863

-11.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.3 NT$2,854

$103 NT$3,323

-14.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$303 NT$9,783

$437 NT$14.1K

-30.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 NT$9,232

$274 NT$8,865

4.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$673 NT$21.8K

$933 NT$30.1K

-27.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$509 NT$16.4K

$704 NT$22.7K

-27.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,150 NT$231.0K

$4,554 NT$147.2K

57.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,917 NT$158.9K

$3,076 NT$99.4K

59.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$997 NT$32.2K

$1,502 NT$48.5K

-33.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.18

2.3

-5.22%

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

Last update for Yilan: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kaohsiung: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $303 in Yilan and $437 in Kaohsiung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kaohsiung pays 51% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $31.00 in Yilan vs $34.00 in Kaohsiung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $374 vs $383 per month, with Yilan cheaper across the board.

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

Yilan vs Kaohsiung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yilan and Kaohsiung differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($1,081 vs $1,186 including rent). Yilan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 51% lower in Kaohsiung. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $303 in Yilan versus $437 in Kaohsiung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $367 in Yilan versus $422 in Kaohsiung. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Kaohsiung. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,081 in Yilan versus $1,186 in Kaohsiung, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Yilan but tight or insufficient in Kaohsiung. The gap between the two cities makes Yilan 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, Yilan and Kaohsiung 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 Yilan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Kaohsiung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.