Cost of Living Comparison Between Yilan and Taichung Cost of Living Comparison Between Yilan and Taichung

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,093 in Yilan versus $1,175 in Taichung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,693 in Yilan versus $1,977 in Taichung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,294 in Yilan versus $2,779 in Taichung.

Living in Yilan costs roughly 7% less than in Taichung, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Yilan 18% lower, Taichung 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.62 NT$114

$5.17 NT$163

-29.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.73 NT$967

$30.14 NT$949

1.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.34 NT$168

$5.48 NT$172

-2.55%

Cappuccino

$2.95 NT$93.0

$3.03 NT$95.5

-2.64%

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

$1.10 NT$34.59

$1.16 NT$36.61

-5.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 NT$21.65

$0.86 NT$27.02

-19.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 NT$48.92

$2.19 NT$68.9

-29.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 NT$91.6

$2.93 NT$92.4

-0.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.57 NT$112

$3.86 NT$122

-7.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 NT$55.8

$1.74 NT$54.9

1.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 NT$62.9

$2.82 NT$88.7

-29.08%

Eggs

$2.63 NT$82.7

$3.27 NT$103

-19.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.73 NT$999

$31.67 NT$997

0.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 NT$249

$8.26 NT$260

-4.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.67 NT$493

$16.07 NT$506

-2.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.73 NT$149

$4.64 NT$146

1.94%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 NT$27.39

$1.76 NT$55.5

-50.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 NT$72.6

$2.26 NT$71.0

2.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 NT$54.5

$2.97 NT$93.6

-41.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 NT$42.19

$1.27 NT$40.12

5.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 NT$43.91

$1.97 NT$62.1

-29.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 NT$68.3

$2.36 NT$74.3

-8.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 NT$40.82

$1.30 NT$40.95

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 NT$132

$3.96 NT$125

5.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.23 NT$511

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 NT$45.24

$1.71 NT$53.8

-15.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 NT$83.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 NT$31.63

$0.94 NT$29.57

6.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.29 NT$1,079

$28.86 NT$908

18.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 NT$89.6

$2.92 NT$92.1

-2.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 NT$37.49

$1.24 NT$38.97

-4.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.97 NT$314

$10.25 NT$323

-2.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 NT$32.91

$1.05 NT$33.02

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

$26.6K NT$838.1K

$34.5K NT$1.1M

-22.92%

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

$23.5K NT$741.1K

$26.0K NT$816.9K

-9.28%

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

$59.6 NT$1,877

$96.6 NT$3,042

-38.31%

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

$17.18 NT$541

$24.51 NT$771

-29.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.06 NT$694

$22.07 NT$695

-0.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.87 NT$1,003

$36.44 NT$1,147

-12.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.17 NT$541

$10.09 NT$318

70.17%

Cinema Ticket

$9.79 NT$308

$10.52 NT$331

-6.94%

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

$359 NT$11.3K

$355 NT$11.2K

1.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.4K NT$642.6K

$20.9K NT$656.8K

-2.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.9 NT$2,230

$84.1 NT$2,646

-15.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.23 NT$1,077

$34.06 NT$1,072

0.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.7 NT$2,477

$96.9 NT$3,049

-18.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.8 NT$2,731

$130 NT$4,092

-33.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$303 NT$9,544

$379 NT$11.9K

-19.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 NT$9,185

$292 NT$9,184

0.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$669 NT$21.1K

$1,056 NT$33.2K

-36.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$492 NT$15.5K

$731 NT$23.0K

-32.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,553 NT$237.7K

$7,297 NT$229.7K

3.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,424 NT$170.7K

$5,260 NT$165.6K

3.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,040 NT$32.7K

$1,420 NT$44.7K

-26.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.18

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

Last update for Yilan: June 2, 2026

Last update for Taichung: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $303 in Yilan and $379 in Taichung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taichung pays 37% 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 $30.00 in Taichung. Groceries flip the comparison at $376 vs $402, with Yilan 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

Yilan vs Taichung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yilan wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Taichung. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Yilan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Taichung earns 37% less. 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 $379 in Taichung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Yilan – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $30.00 in Taichung. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,093 per month in Yilan versus $1,175 in Taichung – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,093 in Yilan versus $1,175 in Taichung, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Yilan but tight or insufficient in Taichung. 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 Taichung 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 8% less than in Taichung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.