Cost of living in Taiwan
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:
Food | ||
---|---|---|
Basic lunchtime menu (including a drink) in the business district | 170 NT$ | |
Combo meal in fast food restaurant (Big Mac Meal or similar) | 130 NT$ | |
500 gr (1 lb.) of boneless chicken breast | 109 NT$ | |
1 liter (1 qt.) of whole fat milk | 88 NT$ | |
12 eggs, large | 74 NT$ | |
1 kg (2 lb.) of tomatoes | 107 NT$ | |
500 gr (16 oz.) of local cheese | 319 NT$ | |
1 kg (2 lb.) of apples | 118 NT$ | |
1 kg (2 lb.) of potatoes | 78 NT$ | |
0.5 l (16 oz) domestic beer in the supermarket | 47 NT$ | |
1 bottle of red table wine, good quality | 495 NT$ | |
2 liters of Coca-Cola | 52 NT$ | |
Bread for 2 people for 1 day | 47 NT$ | |
Housing | ||
Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 Sqft) furnished accommodation in EXPENSIVE area | 35,886 NT$ | |
Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 Sqft) furnished accommodation in NORMAL area | 21,989 NT$ | |
Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 2 people in 85m2 flat | 2,259 NT$ | |
Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 Sqft) furnished studio in EXPENSIVE area | 18,899 NT$ | |
Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 Sqft) furnished studio in NORMAL area | 11,094 NT$ | |
Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 1 person in 45 m2 (480 Sqft) studio | 1,375 NT$ | |
Internet 8 Mbps (1 month) | 722 NT$ | |
40” flat screen TV | 12,600 NT$ | |
Microwave 800/900 Watt (Bosch, Panasonic, LG, Sharp, or equivalent brands) | 2,859 NT$ | |
Laundry detergent (3 l. ~ 100 oz.) | 230 NT$ | |
Hourly rate for cleaning help | 327 NT$ | |
Clothes | ||
1 pair of jeans (Levis 501 or similar) | 2,209 NT$ | |
1 summer dress in a High Street Store (Zara, H&M or similar retailers) | 1,331 NT$ | |
1 pair of sport shoes (Nike, Adidas, or equivalent brands) | 2,717 NT$ | |
1 pair of men’s leather business shoes | 3,009 NT$ | |
Transportation | ||
Volkswagen Golf 1.4 TSI 150 CV (or equivalent), with no extras, new | 1,001,980 NT$ | |
1 liter (1/4 gallon) of gas | 27 NT$ | |
Monthly ticket public transport | 1,152 NT$ | |
Personal Care | ||
Cold medicine for 6 days (Tylenol, Frenadol, Coldrex, or equivalent brands) | 173 NT$ | |
1 box of antibiotics (12 doses) | 240 NT$ | |
Short visit to private Doctor (15 minutes) | - | |
1 box of 32 tampons (Tampax, OB, ...) | 273 NT$ | |
Deodorant, roll-on (50ml ~ 1.5 oz.) | 127 NT$ | |
Hair shampoo 2-in-1 (400 ml ~ 12 oz.) | 168 NT$ | |
4 rolls of toilet paper | 66 NT$ | |
Tube of toothpaste | 91 NT$ | |
Standard men's haircut in expat area of the city | 413 NT$ | |
Entertainment | ||
Basic dinner out for two in neighborhood pub | 815 NT$ | |
2 tickets to the movies | 581 NT$ | |
2 tickets to the theater (best available seats) | 1,540 NT$ | |
Dinner for two at an Italian restaurant in the expat area including appetisers, main course, wine and dessert | 964 NT$ | |
1 cocktail drink in downtown club | 275 NT$ | |
Cappuccino in expat area of the city | 98 NT$ | |
1 beer in neighbourhood pub (500ml or 1pt.) | 86 NT$ | |
iPad Wi-Fi 128GB | 13,267 NT$ | |
1 min. of prepaid mobile tariff (no discounts or plans) | 6 NT$ | |
1 month of gym membership in business district | 1,518 NT$ | |
1 package of Marlboro cigarettes | 99 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.
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.
Cost of Living Ranking in Taiwan
(top cities by data quality)
Ranking | City | Price Index * |
---|---|---|
1st | Taipei | 110 |
2nd | Hsinchu City | 105 |
3rd | Yun-lin | 97 |
Price 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 21% more expensive than in Santo Domingo
- Cost of living in Taipei is 39% more expensive than in Manila
- Cost of living in Taipei is 41% cheaper than in Singapore
- Cost of living in Taipei is 8% cheaper than in Bangkok
- Cost of living in Taipei is 37% cheaper than in Tokyo
- Cost of living in Taipei is 51% cheaper than in New York City
- Cost of living in Taipei is 33% cheaper than in Vancouver
- Cost of living in Taichung City is 29% cheaper than in San Antonio, Texas
- Cost of living in Taipei is 52% cheaper than in San Francisco, California
- Cost of living in Taipei is 49% more expensive than in Ho Chi Minh City
- Cost of living in Taipei is 40% cheaper than in Los Angeles, California
- Cost of living in Taipei is 35% cheaper than in Dubai
- Cost of living in Taichung City is 23% more expensive than in Naga
- Cost of living in Taipei is 26% more expensive than in Taichung City
- Cost of living in Kaohsiung City is 51% cheaper than in Singapore
- Cost of living in Kaohsiung City is 34% more expensive than in Astana
- Cost of living in Kaohsiung City is about the same as in Santo Domingo
- Cost of living in Taipei is 13% cheaper than in Shanghai
- Cost of living in Taipei is 12% cheaper than in Belgaum
- Cost of living in Taichung City is 25% more expensive than in Anyang
Compare other countries
Recent Prices Added
- Monthly rent - 45 m2 furnished studio in expensive area in Taichung City costs 6,000 NT$ (about 17 hours ago)
- Ipad wi-fi 128gb in Taipei costs 10,500 NT$ (11 days ago)
- 500 ml beer in neighbourhood pub in Taipei costs 90 NT$ (11 days ago)
- Cappuccino in expat area of the city in Taipei costs 80 NT$ (11 days ago)
- Cocktail drink in downtown club in Taipei costs 130 NT$ (11 days ago)
- Nice dinner at an italian restaurant, dinner for two in Taipei costs 700 NT$ (11 days ago)
- 2 tickets to the theater (best available seats) in Taipei costs 2,000 NT$ (11 days ago)
- 2 tickets to the movies in Taipei costs 440 NT$ (11 days ago)
- Basic dinner out in neighborhood pub, dinner for two in Taipei costs 500 NT$ (11 days ago)
- Standard men's haircut in expat area of the city in Taipei costs 300 NT$ (11 days ago)