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: $997 in Yilan versus $1,148 in Taichung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,701 in Yilan versus $1,904 in Taichung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,405 in Yilan versus $2,659 in Taichung.

Living in Yilan costs roughly 13% less than in Taichung, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Yilan 27% lower, Taichung 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.36 NT$107

$4.83 NT$153

-30.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.95 NT$950

$32.11 NT$1,019

-6.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 NT$146

$4.78 NT$152

-3.35%

Cappuccino

$2.82 NT$89.4

$2.74 NT$87.1

2.92%

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

$1.00 NT$31.61

$0.99 NT$31.36

1.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 NT$21.74

$0.76 NT$24.16

-9.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 NT$45.93

$1.60 NT$50.7

-9.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 NT$89.3

$2.85 NT$90.6

-1.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.05 NT$96.7

$3.17 NT$101

-3.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 NT$56.0

$1.76 NT$56.0

0.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.69 NT$85.4

$2.67 NT$84.6

0.75%

Eggs

$2.51 NT$79.7

$2.50 NT$79.4

0.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.65 NT$909

$28.55 NT$906

0.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.74 NT$246

$7.72 NT$245

0.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.99 NT$539

$16.58 NT$526

2.47%

Apples (1kg)

$4.39 NT$139

$4.19 NT$133

4.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 NT$62.2

$1.96 NT$62.3

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 NT$58.8

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 NT$69.2

$2.24 NT$71.0

-2.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 NT$37.58

$1.24 NT$39.48

-4.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 NT$60.3

$1.92 NT$60.9

-1.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.32 NT$73.5

$2.41 NT$76.4

-3.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 NT$28.66

$0.90 NT$28.40

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 NT$122

$3.85 NT$122

-0.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.82 NT$502

$16.07 NT$510

-1.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 NT$45.32

$1.62 NT$51.4

-11.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 NT$80.9

$2.48 NT$78.7

2.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 NT$23.95

$0.74 NT$23.43

1.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.87 NT$1,138

$31.80 NT$1,009

12.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 NT$83.1

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 NT$30.83

$0.93 NT$29.63

4.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.45 NT$300

$9.67 NT$307

-2.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 NT$31.61

$1.05 NT$33.47

-4.76%

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

$25.5K NT$808.6K

$33.3K NT$1.1M

-23.56%

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

$19.5K NT$617.3K

$23.3K NT$739.5K

-16.52%

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

$47.65 NT$1,512

$110 NT$3,480

-56.56%

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

$15.19 NT$482

$15.30 NT$485

-0.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.13 NT$670

$20.93 NT$664

0.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.85 NT$1,010

$32.98 NT$1,046

-3.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.13 NT$417

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 NT$247

$10.01 NT$318

-22.28%

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

$341 NT$10.8K

$336 NT$10.7K

1.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K NT$552.3K

$16.8K NT$534.0K

3.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 NT$1,726

$67.9 NT$2,155

-19.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.05 NT$985

$36.17 NT$1,147

-14.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.4 NT$2,709

$85.6 NT$2,715

-0.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.3 NT$1,976

$109 NT$3,465

-42.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$274 NT$8,708

$401 NT$12.7K

-31.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$249 NT$7,905

$283 NT$8,979

-11.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$975 NT$30.9K

$1,237 NT$39.2K

-21.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$744 NT$23.6K

$747 NT$23.7K

-0.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,183 NT$227.9K

$7,108 NT$225.5K

1.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,078 NT$161.1K

$5,222 NT$165.7K

-2.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,009 NT$32.0K

$1,393 NT$44.2K

-27.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.27

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

Last update for Yilan: August 30, 2026

Last update for Taichung: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $274 in Yilan and $401 in Taichung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taichung pays 38% 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: $30.00 in Yilan vs $32.00 in Taichung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $368 vs $369 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 Taichung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yilan wins on cost – living expenses run 15% 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, salaries run 38% lower in Taichung. 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: $274 in Yilan versus $401 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 $30.00 versus $32.00 in Taichung. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $997 per month in Yilan versus $1,148 in Taichung – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $997 in Yilan versus $1,148 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 15% less than in Taichung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.