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 $1,145 per month in Zhubei City vs $1,466 in Taipei, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,045 per month in Zhubei City vs $2,363 in Taipei, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,945 per month in Zhubei City vs $3,259 in Taipei, rent included.

Zhubei City is about 22% cheaper than Taipei, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Zhubei City sits 14% below the global median, while Taipei is 10% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.22 NT$165

$6.61 NT$209

-21.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.26 NT$1,050

$41.06 NT$1,296

-19.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.57 NT$176

$5.61 NT$177

-0.71%

Cappuccino

$3.74 NT$118

$3.86 NT$122

-3.11%

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

$0.99 NT$31.33

$1.12 NT$35.52

-11.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 NT$19.80

$0.80 NT$25.18

-21.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 NT$68.4

$3.32 NT$105

-34.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 NT$84.1

$3.41 NT$108

-21.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.18 NT$100

$3.27 NT$103

-2.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 NT$65.9

$1.91 NT$60.4

9.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.48 NT$141

$3.13 NT$98.9

43.13%

Eggs

$2.88 NT$91.0

$2.93 NT$92.5

-1.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.81 NT$436

$20.24 NT$639

-31.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.76 NT$277

$9.73 NT$307

-9.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.87 NT$880

$20.05 NT$633

39.00%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 NT$138

$5.10 NT$161

-14.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 NT$81.3

$2.99 NT$94.5

-13.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 NT$85.8

$2.89 NT$91.4

-5.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.77 NT$119

$4.14 NT$131

-8.94%

Potato (1kg)

$4.02 NT$127

$2.94 NT$92.7

36.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 NT$77.9

$2.16 NT$68.3

14.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 NT$81.1

$1.88 NT$59.3

36.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 NT$42.02

$1.33 NT$41.93

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 NT$129

$4.14 NT$131

-0.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.43 NT$298

$14.79 NT$467

-36.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 NT$51.2

$1.83 NT$57.6

-11.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 NT$87.2

$2.41 NT$76.0

14.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 NT$22.10

$0.81 NT$25.67

-13.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.58 NT$1,218

$40.43 NT$1,277

-4.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 NT$110

$2.94 NT$92.7

18.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 NT$18.35

$0.73 NT$23.11

-20.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.28 NT$325

$10.33 NT$326

-0.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 NT$32.18

$1.07 NT$33.72

-4.67%

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

$41.7K NT$1.3M

$38.2K NT$1.2M

9.21%

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

$27.2K NT$857.5K

$27.5K NT$868.6K

-1.28%

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

$93.1 NT$2,939

$83.9 NT$2,648

11.01%

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

$33.95 NT$1,072

$18.83 NT$594

80.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.35 NT$769

$24.50 NT$773

-0.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.19 NT$1,079

$41.71 NT$1,317

-18.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.20 NT$480

$13.81 NT$436

10.07%

Cinema Ticket

$11.73 NT$370

$11.98 NT$378

-2.09%

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

$697 NT$22.0K

$646 NT$20.4K

7.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K NT$482.4K

$18.9K NT$595.2K

-18.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.0 NT$2,682

$58.7 NT$1,854

44.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.57 NT$1,502

$32.99 NT$1,041

44.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.3 NT$3,136

$92.6 NT$2,923

7.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 NT$3,662

$121 NT$3,812

-3.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 NT$13.5K

$795 NT$25.1K

-46.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$211 NT$6,649

$538 NT$17.0K

-60.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,176 NT$37.1K

$1,652 NT$52.2K

-28.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$852 NT$26.9K

$1,106 NT$34.9K

-22.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.6K NT$522.9K

$14.2K NT$446.9K

17.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,892 NT$312.3K

$8,454 NT$266.9K

17.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,500 NT$78.9K

$1,657 NT$52.3K

50.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.4

2.19

9.59%

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

Last update for Zhubei City: April 26, 2026

Last update for Taipei: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $429 in Zhubei City versus $795 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 51% 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 $33.00 in Zhubei City versus $41.00 in Taipei. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $394 vs $401 – making Zhubei City 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 Taipei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Taipei is pricier by about 28%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,717 per month in Zhubei City and $2,200 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 $1,145 in Zhubei City and $1,466 in Taipei. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 5% less in Zhubei City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zhubei City, where all-in costs run around $1,145, than in Taipei at $1,466. 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.