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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,054 per month in Zhubei City vs $1,376 in Taipei, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,865 per month in Zhubei City vs $2,242 in Taipei, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,676 per month in Zhubei City vs $3,109 in Taipei, rent included.

Zhubei City is about 23% cheaper than Taipei, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Zhubei City sits 24% below the global median, while Taipei is 0% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.65 NT$147

$4.70 NT$149

-1.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.05 NT$919

$47.97 NT$1,517

-39.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.15 NT$163

$6.11 NT$193

-15.71%

Cappuccino

$2.97 NT$93.9

$3.57 NT$113

-16.81%

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

$0.91 NT$28.89

$0.98 NT$30.94

-7.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 NT$17.81

$0.66 NT$21.02

-15.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 NT$58.6

$2.94 NT$92.9

-37.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 NT$79.8

$3.84 NT$121

-34.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.95 NT$93.2

$3.07 NT$97.0

-3.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 NT$60.4

$1.98 NT$62.5

-3.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.69 NT$148

$3.09 NT$97.9

51.78%

Eggs

$2.82 NT$89.3

$2.68 NT$84.8

5.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.25 NT$799

$19.85 NT$628

27.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.66 NT$274

$9.74 NT$308

-11.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.59 NT$809

$21.62 NT$684

18.36%

Apples (1kg)

$4.23 NT$134

$4.96 NT$157

-14.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 NT$78.5

$3.39 NT$107

-26.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 NT$89.3

$3.02 NT$95.6

-6.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.29 NT$104

$4.44 NT$140

-25.90%

Potato (1kg)

$3.15 NT$99.5

$2.72 NT$85.9

15.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 NT$68.4

$2.36 NT$74.8

-8.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 NT$64.9

$1.71 NT$54.2

19.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 NT$45.25

$1.19 NT$37.64

20.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.95 NT$125

$3.86 NT$122

2.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 NT$293

$14.31 NT$453

-35.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 NT$44.85

$1.71 NT$54.0

-16.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 NT$65.9

$2.23 NT$70.5

-6.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 NT$20.91

$0.69 NT$21.97

-4.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.58 NT$1,189

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 NT$99.4

$2.64 NT$83.4

18.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 NT$20.59

$0.78 NT$24.51

-16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.56 NT$303

$9.49 NT$300

0.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 NT$31.65

$1.07 NT$33.82

-6.54%

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

$33.3K NT$1.1M

$34.1K NT$1.1M

-2.57%

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

$25.2K NT$795.9K

$24.9K NT$787.2K

1.11%

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

$103 NT$3,268

$85.4 NT$2,700

21.05%

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

$19.20 NT$607

$18.13 NT$573

5.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.10 NT$730

$28.34 NT$896

-18.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.63 NT$1,000

$42.47 NT$1,343

-25.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.90 NT$503

Cinema Ticket

$10.08 NT$319

$9.35 NT$296

7.81%

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

$662 NT$20.9K

$623 NT$19.7K

6.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K NT$523.7K

$16.6K NT$525.5K

-0.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 NT$1,838

$63.6 NT$2,010

-8.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 NT$1,011

$40.26 NT$1,273

-20.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 NT$2,996

$85.1 NT$2,692

11.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 NT$3,184

$107 NT$3,374

-5.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$510 NT$16.1K

$907 NT$28.7K

-43.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$215 NT$6,799

$492 NT$15.6K

-56.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,099 NT$34.8K

$1,568 NT$49.6K

-29.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$806 NT$25.5K

$970 NT$30.7K

-16.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.2K NT$513.7K

$12.5K NT$394.6K

30.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,777 NT$309.2K

$7,787 NT$246.3K

25.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,442 NT$77.2K

$1,786 NT$56.5K

36.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.4

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

Last update for Zhubei City: September 7, 2026

Last update for Taipei: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $510 in Zhubei City versus $907 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 37% higher in Zhubei City, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in Zhubei City versus $48.00 in Taipei. Groceries tell a different story – $407 in Zhubei City vs $402 in Taipei – so Taipei wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Taipei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Taipei is pricier by about 31%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,582 per month in Zhubei City and $2,065 in Taipei. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,054 in Zhubei City and $1,376 in Taipei. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $662 per month in Zhubei City and $623 in Taipei. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zhubei City, where all-in costs run around $1,054, than in Taipei at $1,376. In Zhubei City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Taipei 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, Taipei makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.