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: $1,074 in Zhubei City versus $1,148 in Taichung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,858 in Zhubei City versus $1,904 in Taichung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,643 in Zhubei City versus $2,659 in Taichung.

Living in Zhubei City costs roughly 7% less than in Taichung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Zhubei City 22% lower, Taichung 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.71 NT$149

$4.83 NT$153

-2.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.93 NT$918

$32.11 NT$1,019

-9.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.24 NT$166

$4.78 NT$152

9.62%

Cappuccino

$3.05 NT$96.8

$2.74 NT$87.1

11.31%

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

$0.95 NT$30.16

$0.99 NT$31.36

-4.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 NT$19.28

$0.76 NT$24.16

-19.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 NT$59.6

$1.60 NT$50.7

17.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 NT$79.3

$2.85 NT$90.6

-12.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.87 NT$90.9

$3.17 NT$101

-9.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 NT$58.2

$1.76 NT$56.0

4.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.44 NT$141

$2.67 NT$84.6

66.29%

Eggs

$2.76 NT$87.6

$2.50 NT$79.4

10.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.11 NT$797

$28.55 NT$906

-12.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.66 NT$275

$7.72 NT$245

12.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.23 NT$832

$16.58 NT$526

58.20%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 NT$132

$4.19 NT$133

-0.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.46 NT$78.0

$1.96 NT$62.3

25.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 NT$86.0

$1.85 NT$58.8

46.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.27 NT$104

$2.24 NT$71.0

45.98%

Potato (1kg)

$3.03 NT$96.2

$1.24 NT$39.48

144.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 NT$65.4

$1.92 NT$60.9

7.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 NT$65.8

$2.41 NT$76.4

-14.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 NT$42.53

$0.90 NT$28.40

48.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.85 NT$122

Wine (Bottle)

$9.18 NT$291

$16.07 NT$510

-42.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 NT$45.08

$1.62 NT$51.4

-12.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 NT$63.7

$2.48 NT$78.7

-18.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 NT$19.36

$0.74 NT$23.43

-17.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.80 NT$1,009

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 NT$103

$2.62 NT$83.1

23.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 NT$19.25

$0.93 NT$29.63

-34.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.21 NT$292

$9.67 NT$307

-4.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 NT$32.65

$1.05 NT$33.47

-1.90%

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

$34.1K NT$1.1M

$33.3K NT$1.1M

2.38%

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

$25.4K NT$807.4K

$23.3K NT$739.5K

9.18%

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

$101 NT$3,197

$110 NT$3,480

-8.14%

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

$19.66 NT$624

$15.30 NT$485

28.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.98 NT$729

$20.93 NT$664

9.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.44 NT$998

$32.98 NT$1,046

-4.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.13 NT$417

Cinema Ticket

$10.17 NT$323

$10.01 NT$318

1.60%

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

$665 NT$21.1K

$336 NT$10.7K

97.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K NT$531.6K

$16.8K NT$534.0K

-0.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 NT$1,842

$67.9 NT$2,155

-14.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.09 NT$986

$36.17 NT$1,147

-14.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.0 NT$2,919

$85.6 NT$2,715

7.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.7 NT$3,132

$109 NT$3,465

-9.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 NT$15.9K

$401 NT$12.7K

24.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$212 NT$6,716

$283 NT$8,979

-25.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 NT$35.2K

$1,237 NT$39.2K

-10.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$795 NT$25.2K

$747 NT$23.7K

6.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.6K NT$526.1K

$7,108 NT$225.5K

133.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,756 NT$309.5K

$5,222 NT$165.7K

86.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,420 NT$76.8K

$1,393 NT$44.2K

73.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.4

2.27

5.73%

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

Last update for Zhubei City: August 31, 2026

Last update for Taichung: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Zhubei City and $401 in Taichung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zhubei City pays 74% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $29.00 in Zhubei City vs $32.00 in Taichung. Groceries flip the comparison at $403 vs $369, with Taichung 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 7% 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.

Average pay runs 74% higher in Zhubei City, 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: $500 in Zhubei City versus $401 in Taichung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $665 in Zhubei City versus $336 in Taichung. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Zhubei City – a meal for two runs $29.00 versus $32.00 in Taichung. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,074 in Zhubei City versus $1,148 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 7% less than in Taichung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.