Cost of Living Comparison Between Zhubei City and Kinmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Zhubei City and Kinmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,145 per month in Zhubei City vs $1,127 in Kinmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,045 per month in Zhubei City vs $1,886 in Kinmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,945 per month in Zhubei City vs $2,646 in Kinmen, rent included.

Zhubei City costs about 2% more than Kinmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Zhubei City and Kinmen are more affordable than the global median – Zhubei City 14% lower, Kinmen 16% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Zhubei City
Kinmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.22 NT$165
$5.11 NT$162
2.15%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$33.26 NT$1,053
$30.99 NT$981
7.32%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.57 NT$176
$5.34 NT$169
4.31%
Cappuccino
$3.74 NT$118
$2.96 NT$93.7
26.35%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.99 NT$31.41
$1.10 NT$34.68
-10.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.63 NT$19.85
$0.73 NT$22.97
-13.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.17 NT$68.6
$1.80 NT$57.0
20.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.66 NT$84.3
$2.76 NT$87.2
-3.62%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Zhubei City
Kinmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.18 NT$101
$3.17 NT$100
0.32%
White Bread (500g)
$2.09 NT$66.1
$1.95 NT$61.6
7.18%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.48 NT$142
$2.92 NT$92.3
53.42%
Eggs
$2.88 NT$91.3
$2.91 NT$92.0
-1.03%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.81 NT$437
$18.90 NT$598
-26.93%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.76 NT$277
$8.31 NT$263
5.42%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$27.87 NT$882
$16.85 NT$533
65.40%
Apples (1kg)
$4.38 NT$139
$4.52 NT$143
-3.10%
Banana (1kg)
$2.58 NT$81.5
$2.53 NT$79.9
1.98%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.72 NT$86.0
$2.66 NT$84.1
2.26%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.77 NT$119
$3.48 NT$110
8.33%
Potato (1kg)
$4.02 NT$127
$2.80 NT$88.7
43.57%
Onion (1kg)
$2.47 NT$78.1
$2.24 NT$70.8
10.27%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.57 NT$81.3
$2.06 NT$65.1
24.76%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.33 NT$42.13
$1.20 NT$38.10
10.83%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.10 NT$130
$4.18 NT$132
-1.91%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.43 NT$298
$13.93 NT$441
-32.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 NT$51.3
$1.70 NT$53.9
-4.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 NT$87.4
$2.54 NT$80.5
8.66%
🚌 Getting Around
Zhubei City
Kinmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.70 NT$22.16
$0.83 NT$26.29
-15.66%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$38.58 NT$1,221
$38.88 NT$1,230
-0.77%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.48 NT$110
$2.96 NT$93.6
17.57%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.58 NT$18.40
$0.73 NT$23.07
-20.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.28 NT$325
$10.00 NT$317
2.80%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.02 NT$32.26
$1.08 NT$34.10
-5.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$41.7K NT$1.3M
$34.8K NT$1.1M
19.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.2K NT$859.7K
$26.1K NT$826.1K
4.06%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zhubei City
Kinmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$93.1 NT$2,947
$85.0 NT$2,690
9.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.95 NT$1,074
$24.64 NT$780
37.78%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.35 NT$771
$22.33 NT$707
9.05%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Zhubei City
Kinmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$34.19 NT$1,082
$37.99 NT$1,203
-10.00%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.20 NT$481
$14.88 NT$471
2.15%
Cinema Ticket
$11.73 NT$371
$10.07 NT$319
16.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Zhubei City
Kinmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$697 NT$22.0K
$426 NT$13.5K
63.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.3K NT$483.6K
$15.3K NT$483.7K
-0.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Zhubei City
Kinmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.0 NT$2,689
$83.9 NT$2,656
1.23%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.57 NT$1,506
$34.07 NT$1,078
39.62%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.3 NT$3,144
$90.5 NT$2,865
9.74%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116 NT$3,671
$100 NT$3,175
15.62%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Zhubei City
Kinmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$429 NT$13.6K
$437 NT$13.8K
-1.85%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$211 NT$6,666
$292 NT$9,242
-27.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,176 NT$37.2K
$1,040 NT$32.9K
13.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$852 NT$26.9K
$719 NT$22.7K
18.48%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$16.6K NT$524.2K
$7,225 NT$228.7K
129.25%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$9,892 NT$313.1K
$5,930 NT$187.7K
66.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Zhubei City
Kinmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,500 NT$79.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.4
2.18
10.09%

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

Last update for Zhubei City: April 26, 2026

Last update for Kinmen: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $429 in Zhubei City versus $437 in Kinmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Zhubei City versus $31.00 in Kinmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $394 vs $366 – making Kinmen 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
Zhubei City vs Kinmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kinmen cheaper than Zhubei City?
Yes – Zhubei City is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,717 per month in Zhubei City and $1,690 in Kinmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kinmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $697 per month in Zhubei City and $426 in Kinmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Zhubei City and Kinmen?
Groceries cost about 8% more in Zhubei City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Zhubei City or Kinmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kinmen, where all-in costs run around $1,127, than in Zhubei City at $1,145. In Kinmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Zhubei City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Zhubei City or Kinmen more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Kinmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Zhubei City or Kinmen?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Kinmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Zhubei City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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