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 $1,131 per month in Zhubei City vs $1,155 in Kinmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,066 per month in Zhubei City vs $1,928 in Kinmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,002 per month in Zhubei City vs $2,700 in Kinmen, rent included.

Zhubei City is about 2% cheaper than Kinmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.19 NT$164

$5.11 NT$162

1.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.59 NT$1,062

$30.12 NT$952

11.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 NT$173

$5.29 NT$167

3.40%

Cappuccino

$3.54 NT$112

$2.99 NT$94.6

18.39%

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

$0.99 NT$31.28

$1.05 NT$33.16

-5.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 NT$19.80

$0.71 NT$22.53

-11.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 NT$68.5

$1.81 NT$57.2

19.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 NT$88.2

$2.70 NT$85.3

3.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.28 NT$104

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 NT$62.9

$1.94 NT$61.4

2.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.30 NT$136

$2.79 NT$88.2

54.12%

Eggs

$2.91 NT$92.1

$2.91 NT$91.9

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.97 NT$442

$19.11 NT$604

-26.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.68 NT$275

$8.01 NT$253

8.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.00 NT$885

$17.24 NT$545

62.41%

Apples (1kg)

$4.43 NT$140

$4.76 NT$151

-6.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 NT$82.8

$2.52 NT$79.7

3.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 NT$84.6

$2.64 NT$83.6

1.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.87 NT$122

$3.48 NT$110

11.21%

Potato (1kg)

$3.83 NT$121

$2.83 NT$89.4

35.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 NT$79.9

$2.16 NT$68.3

17.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 NT$80.7

$2.04 NT$64.4

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 NT$43.70

$1.20 NT$37.98

15.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.01 NT$127

$4.15 NT$131

-3.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.97 NT$284

$14.11 NT$446

-36.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 NT$50.3

$1.71 NT$54.1

-7.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 NT$84.6

$2.44 NT$77.1

9.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 NT$22.53

$0.86 NT$27.34

-17.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.03 NT$1,234

$39.63 NT$1,253

-1.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 NT$108

$2.82 NT$89.1

20.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.59 NT$18.68

$0.77 NT$24.35

-23.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.23 NT$323

$10.20 NT$322

0.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 NT$33.67

$1.03 NT$32.51

2.91%

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

$40.7K NT$1.3M

$36.0K NT$1.1M

13.20%

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

$27.4K NT$865.3K

$26.0K NT$820.4K

5.47%

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

$94.1 NT$2,973

$85.8 NT$2,711

9.68%

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

$34.26 NT$1,083

$24.16 NT$764

41.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.02 NT$791

$22.39 NT$708

11.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.69 NT$1,065

$36.96 NT$1,168

-8.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.92 NT$472

$15.20 NT$481

-1.84%

Cinema Ticket

$12.00 NT$379

$10.18 NT$322

17.88%

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

$701 NT$22.2K

$424 NT$13.4K

65.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.4K NT$487.0K

$15.7K NT$494.8K

-1.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.5 NT$2,702

$83.7 NT$2,644

2.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.46 NT$1,500

$34.97 NT$1,105

35.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 NT$3,165

$91.3 NT$2,887

9.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 NT$3,619

$103 NT$3,271

10.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 NT$13.8K

$426 NT$13.5K

2.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$209 NT$6,603

$290 NT$9,165

-27.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 NT$37.5K

$1,029 NT$32.5K

15.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$838 NT$26.5K

$718 NT$22.7K

16.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.4K NT$519.5K

$8,444 NT$266.9K

94.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,497 NT$300.2K

$4,764 NT$150.6K

99.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,477 NT$78.3K

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Kinmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $438 in Zhubei City versus $426 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 $34.00 in Zhubei City versus $30.00 in Kinmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $393 vs $368 – 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

Yes – Kinmen 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,696 per month in Zhubei City and $1,732 in Kinmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zhubei City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $701 per month in Zhubei City and $424 in Kinmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Kinmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zhubei City, where all-in costs run around $1,131, than in Kinmen at $1,155. In Zhubei City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kinmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zhubei City – 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 Zhubei City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kinmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.