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 $1,131 per month in Zhubei City vs $1,497 in Taipei, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,066 per month in Zhubei City vs $2,340 in Taipei, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,002 per month in Zhubei City vs $3,184 in Taipei, rent included.

Zhubei City is about 24% cheaper than Taipei, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Zhubei City sits 16% below the global median, while Taipei is 11% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.19 NT$164

$6.83 NT$216

-24.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.59 NT$1,062

$39.89 NT$1,261

-15.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 NT$173

$5.74 NT$181

-4.70%

Cappuccino

$3.54 NT$112

$3.82 NT$121

-7.33%

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

$0.99 NT$31.28

$1.18 NT$37.35

-16.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 NT$19.80

$0.74 NT$23.45

-14.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 NT$68.5

$3.43 NT$109

-36.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 NT$88.2

$3.35 NT$106

-16.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.28 NT$104

$3.15 NT$99.6

4.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 NT$62.9

$1.89 NT$59.8

5.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.30 NT$136

$3.14 NT$99.1

36.94%

Eggs

$2.91 NT$92.1

$2.83 NT$89.4

2.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.97 NT$442

$20.13 NT$636

-30.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.68 NT$275

$9.90 NT$313

-12.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.00 NT$885

$20.51 NT$648

36.52%

Apples (1kg)

$4.43 NT$140

$5.30 NT$167

-16.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 NT$82.7

$2.95 NT$93.4

-11.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 NT$84.5

$2.81 NT$88.8

-4.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.87 NT$122

$4.20 NT$133

-7.86%

Potato (1kg)

$3.83 NT$121

$2.91 NT$91.9

31.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 NT$79.9

$2.22 NT$70.0

13.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 NT$80.7

$1.97 NT$62.2

29.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 NT$43.70

$1.32 NT$41.82

4.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.01 NT$127

$3.97 NT$125

1.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.97 NT$284

$14.26 NT$451

-37.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 NT$50.3

$1.76 NT$55.7

-9.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 NT$84.5

$2.40 NT$75.7

11.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 NT$22.53

$0.84 NT$26.53

-15.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.03 NT$1,234

$40.75 NT$1,288

-4.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 NT$108

$2.93 NT$92.6

16.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.59 NT$18.68

$0.74 NT$23.28

-20.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.23 NT$323

$10.29 NT$325

-0.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 NT$33.66

$1.02 NT$32.25

3.92%

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

$40.7K NT$1.3M

$37.5K NT$1.2M

8.67%

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

$27.4K NT$865.2K

$27.1K NT$855.8K

1.10%

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

$94.1 NT$2,973

$83.9 NT$2,652

12.10%

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

$34.26 NT$1,083

$18.55 NT$586

84.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.02 NT$791

$24.94 NT$788

0.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.69 NT$1,065

$41.43 NT$1,310

-18.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.92 NT$472

$13.55 NT$428

10.11%

Cinema Ticket

$12.00 NT$379

$11.89 NT$376

0.93%

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

$701 NT$22.2K

$624 NT$19.7K

12.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.4K NT$487.0K

$18.7K NT$591.7K

-17.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.5 NT$2,701

$59.6 NT$1,883

43.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.46 NT$1,500

$33.93 NT$1,073

39.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 NT$3,165

$94.1 NT$2,975

6.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 NT$3,619

$125 NT$3,941

-8.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 NT$13.8K

$782 NT$24.7K

-44.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$209 NT$6,603

$552 NT$17.5K

-62.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 NT$37.5K

$1,678 NT$53.1K

-29.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$838 NT$26.5K

$1,088 NT$34.4K

-22.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.4K NT$519.5K

$13.7K NT$431.7K

20.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,497 NT$300.2K

$8,549 NT$270.2K

11.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,477 NT$78.3K

$1,788 NT$56.5K

38.55%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Taipei: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $438 in Zhubei City versus $782 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 39% 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 $34.00 in Zhubei City versus $40.00 in Taipei. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $393 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 32%, 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 $1,696 per month in Zhubei City and $2,246 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 $1,131 in Zhubei City and $1,497 in Taipei. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 4% 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 $1,131, than in Taipei at $1,497. 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.