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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,119 in Zhubei City versus $1,175 in Taichung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,029 in Zhubei City versus $1,977 in Taichung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,940 in Zhubei City versus $2,779 in Taichung.

Living in Zhubei City costs roughly 5% less than in Taichung, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Zhubei City 17% lower, Taichung 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.96 NT$156

$5.17 NT$163

-4.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.24 NT$1,079

$30.14 NT$950

13.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 NT$179

$5.48 NT$173

3.47%

Cappuccino

$3.70 NT$117

$3.03 NT$95.6

22.11%

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

$0.98 NT$30.98

$1.16 NT$36.65

-15.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 NT$19.84

$0.86 NT$27.04

-26.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 NT$71.3

$2.19 NT$68.9

3.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 NT$84.9

$2.93 NT$92.5

-8.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.25 NT$102

$3.86 NT$122

-15.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 NT$62.8

$1.74 NT$54.9

14.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.34 NT$137

$2.82 NT$88.8

53.90%

Eggs

$3.02 NT$95.0

$3.27 NT$103

-7.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.73 NT$433

$31.67 NT$998

-56.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.74 NT$275

$8.26 NT$260

5.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.81 NT$876

$16.07 NT$506

73.06%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 NT$138

$4.64 NT$146

-5.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 NT$81.2

$1.76 NT$55.6

46.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 NT$87.5

$2.26 NT$71.1

23.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 NT$124

$2.97 NT$93.7

33.00%

Potato (1kg)

$4.02 NT$127

$1.27 NT$40.16

216.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 NT$79.9

$1.97 NT$62.1

28.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.65 NT$83.4

$2.36 NT$74.4

12.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 NT$43.65

$1.30 NT$40.98

6.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 NT$131

$3.96 NT$125

5.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.15 NT$288

$16.23 NT$511

-43.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 NT$49.58

$1.71 NT$53.8

-8.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 NT$85.0

$2.66 NT$83.8

1.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 NT$20.40

$0.94 NT$29.59

-30.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.26 NT$1,205

$28.86 NT$909

32.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 NT$107

$2.92 NT$92.2

16.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 NT$19.78

$1.24 NT$39.01

-49.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.19 NT$321

$10.25 NT$323

-0.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 NT$32.42

$1.05 NT$33.05

-1.90%

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

$41.8K NT$1.3M

$34.5K NT$1.1M

21.13%

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

$27.2K NT$856.5K

$26.0K NT$817.6K

4.75%

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

$93.0 NT$2,930

$96.6 NT$3,045

-3.77%

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

$33.79 NT$1,064

$24.51 NT$772

37.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.60 NT$775

$22.07 NT$695

11.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.24 NT$1,079

$36.44 NT$1,148

-6.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.27 NT$481

$10.09 NT$318

51.34%

Cinema Ticket

$11.76 NT$370

$10.52 NT$332

11.79%

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

$690 NT$21.7K

$355 NT$11.2K

94.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K NT$479.7K

$20.9K NT$657.4K

-27.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.4 NT$2,690

$84.1 NT$2,648

1.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.83 NT$1,507

$34.06 NT$1,073

40.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 NT$3,147

$96.9 NT$3,052

3.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 NT$3,617

$130 NT$4,096

-11.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 NT$13.4K

$379 NT$11.9K

12.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$212 NT$6,690

$292 NT$9,192

-27.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 NT$37.2K

$1,056 NT$33.3K

11.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$863 NT$27.2K

$731 NT$23.0K

18.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.8K NT$528.0K

$7,297 NT$229.9K

129.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,937 NT$313.1K

$5,260 NT$165.7K

88.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,432 NT$76.6K

$1,420 NT$44.7K

71.33%

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 1, 2026

Last update for Taichung: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $427 in Zhubei City and $379 in Taichung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zhubei City pays 71% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $34.00 in Zhubei City vs $30.00 in Taichung. Groceries flip the comparison at $394 vs $402, with Zhubei City 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

Zhubei City vs Taichung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zhubei City wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Taichung. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Zhubei City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Zhubei City pays 71% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $427 in Zhubei City versus $379 in Taichung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Zhubei City – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $30.00 in Taichung. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,119 per month in Zhubei City versus $1,175 in Taichung – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,119 in Zhubei City versus $1,175 in Taichung, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Zhubei City but tight or insufficient in Taichung. The gap between the two cities makes Zhubei City 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, Zhubei City 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 Zhubei City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Taichung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.