Cost of living in Taiwan
Summary of cost of living in Taiwan
- Family of four estimated monthly costs: 122,641 NT$
- Single person estimated monthly costs: 57,810 NT$
- Taiwan is the 4th most expensive country in Asia (4 out of 13)
- Cost of living in Taiwan is more expensive than in 75% of countries in the World (25 out of 95)
Change the currency:
| Food | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic lunchtime menu (including a drink) in the business district | 236 NT$ | ||
| Combo meal in fast food restaurant (big mac meal or similar) | 147 NT$ | ||
| 500 gr (1 lb.) of boneless chicken breast | 133 NT$ | ||
| 1 liter (1 qt.) of whole fat milk | 100 NT$ | ||
| 12 eggs, large | 105 NT$ | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of tomatoes | 158 NT$ | ||
| 500 gr (16 oz.) of local cheese | 276 NT$ | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of apples | 197 NT$ | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of potatoes | 194 NT$ | ||
| 0.5 l (16 oz) domestic beer in the supermarket | 68 NT$ | ||
| 1 bottle of red table wine, good quality | 566 NT$ | ||
| 2 liters of coca-cola | 73 NT$ | ||
| Bread for 2 people for 1 day | 31 NT$ | ||
| Housing | |||
| Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in expensive area | 44,988 NT$ | ||
| Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in normal area | 28,163 NT$ | ||
| Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 2 people in 85m2 flat | 4,151 NT$ | ||
| Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in expensive area | 25,277 NT$ | ||
| Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in normal area | 15,315 NT$ | ||
| Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 1 person in 45 m2 (480 sqft) studio | 2,357 NT$ | ||
| Internet 8 mbps (1 month) | 1,007 NT$ | ||
| 40” flat screen tv | 15,768 NT$ | ||
| Microwave 800/900 watt (bosch, panasonic, lg, sharp, or equivalent brands) | 5,064 NT$ | ||
| Laundry detergent (3 l. ~ 100 oz.) | 304 NT$ | ||
| Hourly rate for cleaning help | 406 NT$ | ||
| Clothes | |||
| 1 pair of jeans (levis 501 or similar) | 2,763 NT$ | ||
| 1 summer dress in a high street store (zara, h&m or similar retailers) | 1,502 NT$ | ||
| 1 pair of sport shoes (nike, adidas, or equivalent brands) | 2,973 NT$ | ||
| 1 pair of men’s leather business shoes | 3,601 NT$ | ||
| Transportation | |||
| Volkswagen golf 1.4 tsi 150 cv (or equivalent), with no extras, new | 906,948 NT$ | ||
| 1 liter (1/4 gallon) of gas | 32 NT$ | ||
| Monthly ticket public transport | 1,548 NT$ | ||
| Personal Care | |||
| Cold medicine for 6 days (tylenol, frenadol, coldrex, or equivalent brands) | 302 NT$ | ||
| 1 box of antibiotics (12 doses) | 316 NT$ | ||
| Short visit to private doctor (15 minutes) | 986 NT$ | ||
| 1 box of 32 tampons (tampax, ob, ...) | 326 NT$ | ||
| Deodorant, roll-on (50ml ~ 1.5 oz.) | 292 NT$ | ||
| Hair shampoo 2-in-1 (400 ml ~ 12 oz.) | 269 NT$ | ||
| 4 rolls of toilet paper | 78 NT$ | ||
| Tube of toothpaste | 96 NT$ | ||
| Standard men's haircut in expat area of the city | 459 NT$ | ||
| Entertainment | |||
| Basic dinner out for two in neighborhood pub | 1,183 NT$ | ||
| 2 tickets to the movies | 580 NT$ | ||
| 2 tickets to the theater (best available seats) | 5,327 NT$ | ||
| Dinner for two at an italian restaurant in the expat area including appetisers, main course, wine and dessert | 1,829 NT$ | ||
| 1 cocktail drink in downtown club | 463 NT$ | ||
| Cappuccino in expat area of the city | 143 NT$ | ||
| 1 beer in neighbourhood pub (500ml or 1pt.) | 183 NT$ | ||
| Ipad wi-fi 128gb | 14,113 NT$ | ||
| 1 min. of prepaid mobile tariff (no discounts or plans) | 25 NT$ | ||
| 1 month of gym membership in business district | 1,696 NT$ | ||
| 1 package of marlboro cigarettes | 154 NT$ | ||
Map of Cost of Living in Taiwan
This map shows only the top cities in Taiwan. We also have on this page a list of all the cities available in Expatistan:
List of all the cities available in Expatistan
The color of each marker corresponds with the cost of living in the city red markers show more expensive cities green ones show cheaper cities
Moving the mouse on top of a city will show its name and the Cost of Living Index of that city.
What is the Cost of Living Index? To calculate each city's Price Index value, we start by assigning a value of 100 to a
central reference city (that happens to be Prague).
Once the reference point has been established, the Price Index value of every other city in the
database is calculated by comparing their cost of living to the cost of living in Prague.
Therefore, if a city has a Price Index of 134, that means that living there is 34% more expensive than living in Prague.
Are you moving to Taiwan? Do you know how much money you will need there to maintain your current standard of living?
Find out what is the real equivalent in Taiwan of your current salary and improve your chances of a happy relocation.
Get a salary calculation for:
List of all cities available in Taiwan
| Hsinchu City | Hualian | Kao-hsiung |
| Kaohsiung City | Taichung City | Tainan City |
| Taipei | Yun-lin |
Recent Comparisons
- Cost of living in Taipei is 38% cheaper than in Hong Kong
- Cost of living in Taipei is 27% cheaper than in Tokyo
- Cost of living in Taipei is 12% more expensive than in Shanghai
- Cost of living in Taipei is 6% more expensive than in Madrid
- Cost of living in Taipei is 27% cheaper than in Singapore
- Cost of living in Taipei is 27% more expensive than in Rio de Janeiro
- Cost of living in Taipei is 55% more expensive than in Kuala Lumpur
- Cost of living in Taipei is 29% cheaper than in Los Angeles, California
- Cost of living in Taipei is 23% cheaper than in Paris
- Cost of living in Taipei is about the same as in Seoul
- Cost of living in Taipei is 16% cheaper than in The Hague
- Cost of living in Taipei is 24% cheaper than in San Diego, California
- Cost of living in Taipei is 26% more expensive than in Bangkok
- Cost of living in Kaohsiung City is 11% more expensive than in Tainan City
- Cost of living in Taipei is 5% cheaper than in Madison, Wisconsin
- Cost of living in Taipei is 56% more expensive than in Manila
- Cost of living in Kaohsiung City is 37% more expensive than in Surabaya
- Cost of living in Taipei is about the same as in Barcelona
- Cost of living in Taipei is 44% cheaper than in New York City
- Cost of living in Tainan City is 54% cheaper than in Oakland, California
Compare other countries
Prices recently added
- 6 eggs, large in Kaohsiung City costs 60 NT$ (1 day ago)
- 1 liter of whole fat milk in Kaohsiung City costs 80 NT$ (1 day ago)
- 600 g of boneless chicken breast in Kaohsiung City costs 117 NT$ (1 day ago)
- Combo meal in fast food restaurant (big mac meal or similar) in Kaohsiung City costs 120 NT$ (1 day ago)
- Basic lunchtime menu (including a drink) in the business district in Kaohsiung City costs 100 NT$ (1 day ago)
- Volkswagen golf 1.4 tsi 150 cv (or equivalent), with no extras, new in Kaohsiung City costs 900,000 NT$ (1 day ago)
- 1 pack of marlboro cigarettes in Tainan City costs 95 NT$ (2 days ago)
- 1 month of gym membership in business district in Tainan City costs 900 NT$ (2 days ago)
- Basic dinner out in neighborhood pub, dinner for two in Tainan City costs 700 NT$ (2 days ago)
- 1 liter of gasoline in Tainan City costs 28 NT$ (2 days ago)