Cost of Living Comparison Between Yilan and Taipei Cost of Living Comparison Between Yilan and Taipei

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,081 per month in Yilan vs $1,497 in Taipei, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,712 per month in Yilan vs $2,333 in Taipei, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,343 per month in Yilan vs $3,168 in Taipei, rent included.

Yilan is about 28% cheaper than Taipei, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Yilan sits 19% below the global median, while Taipei is 12% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.55 NT$115

$6.62 NT$214

-46.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.77 NT$996

$39.86 NT$1,290

-22.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.36 NT$173

$5.59 NT$181

-4.11%

Cappuccino

$2.99 NT$96.9

$3.93 NT$127

-23.92%

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

$1.15 NT$37.25

$1.16 NT$37.70

-0.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 NT$24.43

$0.75 NT$24.26

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 NT$49.64

$3.45 NT$112

-55.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 NT$95.3

$3.45 NT$112

-14.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.62 NT$117

$3.16 NT$102

14.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 NT$54.6

$1.88 NT$61.0

-10.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 NT$63.6

$3.03 NT$98.2

-35.31%

Eggs

$2.74 NT$88.6

$2.85 NT$92.2

-3.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.74 NT$1,027

$20.35 NT$659

55.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.08 NT$262

$10.12 NT$327

-20.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.01 NT$518

$20.00 NT$647

-19.95%

Apples (1kg)

$4.56 NT$148

$5.03 NT$163

-9.34%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 NT$28.01

$2.87 NT$92.8

-69.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 NT$71.8

$2.90 NT$94.0

-23.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 NT$56.3

$4.18 NT$135

-58.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 NT$41.74

$2.86 NT$92.6

-54.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 NT$45.09

$2.24 NT$72.6

-37.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 NT$70.3

$1.95 NT$63.0

11.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 NT$39.90

$1.31 NT$42.53

-6.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 NT$133

$4.14 NT$134

-0.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.32 NT$496

$13.82 NT$447

10.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 NT$46.13

$1.80 NT$58.4

-20.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 NT$83.6

$2.37 NT$76.6

8.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 NT$33.41

$0.86 NT$27.84

19.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.65 NT$1,121

$41.26 NT$1,335

-16.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 NT$94.1

$2.94 NT$95.2

-1.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 NT$38.82

$0.74 NT$23.96

62.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.16 NT$329

$10.32 NT$334

-1.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 NT$32.58

$1.04 NT$33.53

-2.88%

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

$27.6K NT$894.7K

$38.7K NT$1.3M

-28.51%

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

$22.8K NT$738.8K

$27.6K NT$894.0K

-17.36%

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

$60.4 NT$1,954

$86.2 NT$2,789

-29.94%

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

$16.63 NT$538

$18.64 NT$603

-10.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.93 NT$710

$24.48 NT$792

-10.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.86 NT$1,031

$41.54 NT$1,345

-23.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.93 NT$548

$13.88 NT$449

21.97%

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 NT$321

$11.71 NT$379

-15.29%

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

$367 NT$11.9K

$643 NT$20.8K

-42.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.6K NT$667.6K

$18.8K NT$610.1K

9.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.8 NT$2,322

$59.5 NT$1,926

20.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.71 NT$1,123

$33.40 NT$1,081

3.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 NT$2,552

$92.9 NT$3,007

-15.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.3 NT$2,858

$121 NT$3,926

-27.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$303 NT$9,799

$795 NT$25.7K

-61.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 NT$9,247

$539 NT$17.4K

-46.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$673 NT$21.8K

$1,651 NT$53.4K

-59.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$509 NT$16.5K

$1,082 NT$35.0K

-52.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,150 NT$231.4K

$12.8K NT$415.4K

-44.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,917 NT$159.1K

$7,600 NT$246.0K

-35.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$997 NT$32.3K

$1,716 NT$55.5K

-41.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.18

2.19

-0.46%

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

Last update for Yilan: July 12, 2026

Last update for Taipei: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $303 in Yilan versus $795 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 72% 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 $31.00 in Yilan versus $40.00 in Taipei. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $374 vs $398 – making Yilan 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

Yilan vs Taipei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Taipei is pricier by about 38%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,622 per month in Yilan and $2,246 in Taipei. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Yilan, 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 $1,081 in Yilan and $1,497 in Taipei. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 19% less in Yilan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Yilan, where all-in costs run around $1,081, than in Taipei at $1,497. In Yilan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Taipei it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Yilan – 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 Yilan. 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.