Cost of living in Taiwan
Summary of cost of living in Taiwan
- Family of four estimated monthly costs: 86,587 NT$
- Single person estimated monthly costs: 39,499 NT$ WARNING! These estimates are based on data that may have some inconsistencies at the moment. They already provide a decent estimate but they are not currently bullet-proof.
Change the currency:
| Food | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic lunchtime menu (including a drink) in the business district | 142 NT$ | ||
| Combo meal in fast food restaurant (big mac meal or similar) | 131 NT$ | ||
| 500 gr (1 lb.) of boneless chicken breast | 81 NT$ | ||
| 1 liter (1 qt.) of whole fat milk | 89 NT$ | ||
| 12 eggs, large | 70 NT$ | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of tomatoes | 106 NT$ | ||
| 500 gr (16 oz.) of local cheese | 293 NT$ | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of apples | 128 NT$ | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of potatoes | 87 NT$ | ||
| 0.5 l (16 oz) domestic beer in the supermarket | 47 NT$ | ||
| 1 bottle of red table wine, good quality | 558 NT$ | ||
| 2 liters of coca-cola | 43 NT$ | ||
| Bread for 2 people for 1 day | 40 NT$ | ||
| Housing | |||
| Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in expensive area | 26,907 NT$ | ||
| Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in normal area | 20,322 NT$ | ||
| Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 2 people in 85m2 flat | 4,092 NT$ | ||
| Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in expensive area | 25,106 NT$ | ||
| Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in normal area | 17,842 NT$ | ||
| Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 1 person in 45 m2 (480 sqft) studio | 2,011 NT$ | ||
| Internet 8 mbps (1 month) | 680 NT$ | ||
| 40” flat screen tv | 10,779 NT$ | ||
| Microwave 800/900 watt (bosch, panasonic, lg, sharp, or equivalent brands) | 3,461 NT$ | ||
| Laundry detergent (3 l. ~ 100 oz.) | 129 NT$ | ||
| Hourly rate for cleaning help | 286 NT$ | ||
| Clothes | |||
| 1 pair of jeans (levis 501 or similar) | 1,747 NT$ | ||
| 1 summer dress in a high street store (zara, h&m or similar retailers) | 884 NT$ | ||
| 1 pair of sport shoes (nike, adidas, or equivalent brands) | 2,521 NT$ | ||
| 1 pair of men’s leather business shoes | 2,654 NT$ | ||
| Transportation | |||
| Volkswagen golf 1.4 tsi 150 cv (or equivalent), with no extras, new | 926,942 NT$ | ||
| 1 liter (1/4 gallon) of gas | 31 NT$ | ||
| Monthly ticket public transport | 943 NT$ | ||
| Personal Care | |||
| Cold medicine for 6 days (tylenol, frenadol, coldrex, or equivalent brands) | 196 NT$ | ||
| 1 box of antibiotics (12 doses) | 158 NT$ | ||
| Short visit to private doctor (15 minutes) | - | ||
| 1 box of 32 tampons (tampax, ob, ...) | 279 NT$ | ||
| Deodorant, roll-on (50ml ~ 1.5 oz.) | 190 NT$ | ||
| Hair shampoo 2-in-1 (400 ml ~ 12 oz.) | 213 NT$ | ||
| 4 rolls of toilet paper | 69 NT$ | ||
| Tube of toothpaste | 84 NT$ | ||
| Standard men's haircut in expat area of the city | 287 NT$ | ||
| Entertainment | |||
| Basic dinner out for two in neighborhood pub | 984 NT$ | ||
| 2 tickets to the movies | 577 NT$ | ||
| 2 tickets to the theater (best available seats) | 11,330 NT$ | ||
| Dinner for two at an italian restaurant in the expat area including appetisers, main course, wine and dessert | 1,026 NT$ | ||
| 1 cocktail drink in downtown club | 311 NT$ | ||
| Cappuccino in expat area of the city | 106 NT$ | ||
| 1 beer in neighbourhood pub (500ml or 1pt.) | 103 NT$ | ||
| Ipad wi-fi 128gb | 11,593 NT$ | ||
| 1 min. of prepaid mobile tariff (no discounts or plans) | 5.56 NT$ | ||
| 1 month of gym membership in business district | 1,106 NT$ | ||
| 1 package of marlboro cigarettes | 101 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.
Cost of Living Ranking in Taiwan
(top cities by data quality)
| Ranking | City | Price Index * |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Taipei | 135 |
| 2nd | Yun-lin | 96 |
| 3rd | Tainan City | 93 |
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.
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 70% more expensive than in Chiang Mai
- Cost of living in Taichung City is 42% cheaper than in Palo Alto, California
- Cost of living in Taipei is 59% more expensive than in Kuala Lumpur
- Cost of living in Taipei is 70% more expensive than in Kuching
- Cost of living in Taichung City is 6% cheaper than in Houston, Texas
- Cost of living in Taipei is 10% cheaper than in Atlanta, Georgia
- Cost of living in Taichung City is 32% cheaper than in San Jose, California
- Cost of living in Taipei is 29% cheaper than in Los Angeles, California
- Cost of living in Taichung City is 10% cheaper than in Barcelona
- Cost of living in Taipei is 10% more expensive than in Lisbon
- Cost of living in Taipei is 19% cheaper than in Hamburg
- Cost of living in Taipei is 202% more expensive than in Osh
- Cost of living in Taipei is 6% cheaper than in Madrid
- Cost of living in Taipei is 26% cheaper than in Long Beach, California
- Cost of living in Taipei is 31% cheaper than in St. Gallen
- Cost of living in Taipei is 9% cheaper than in Berlin
- Cost of living in Taipei is 64% more expensive than in São Paulo
- Cost of living in Tainan City is about the same as in Budapest
- Cost of living in Kao-hsiung is 45% cheaper than in Sydney
- Cost of living in Taipei is 26% more expensive than in Hsinchu City