Cost of living in Taiwan
Summary of cost of living in Taiwan
- Family of four estimated monthly costs: 100,068 NT$
- Single person estimated monthly costs: 50,163 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 | 206 NT$ | ||
| Combo meal in fast food restaurant (big mac meal or similar) | 143 NT$ | ||
| 500 gr (1 lb.) of boneless chicken breast | 151 NT$ | ||
| 1 liter (1 qt.) of whole fat milk | 90 NT$ | ||
| 12 eggs, large | 113 NT$ | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of tomatoes | 189 NT$ | ||
| 500 gr (16 oz.) of local cheese | 355 NT$ | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of apples | 171 NT$ | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of potatoes | 108 NT$ | ||
| 0.5 l (16 oz) domestic beer in the supermarket | 65 NT$ | ||
| 1 bottle of red table wine, good quality | 1,012 NT$ | ||
| 2 liters of coca-cola | 58 NT$ | ||
| Bread for 2 people for 1 day | 59 NT$ | ||
| Housing | |||
| Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in expensive area | 41,979 NT$ | ||
| Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in normal area | 24,476 NT$ | ||
| Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 2 people in 85m2 flat | 1,266 NT$ | ||
| Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in expensive area | 28,215 NT$ | ||
| Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in normal area | 14,070 NT$ | ||
| Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 1 person in 45 m2 (480 sqft) studio | 699 NT$ | ||
| Internet 8 mbps (1 month) | 424 NT$ | ||
| 40” flat screen tv | 8,087 NT$ | ||
| Microwave 800/900 watt (bosch, panasonic, lg, sharp, or equivalent brands) | 2,235 NT$ | ||
| Laundry detergent (3 l. ~ 100 oz.) | 99 NT$ | ||
| Hourly rate for cleaning help | 155 NT$ | ||
| Clothes | |||
| 1 pair of jeans (levis 501 or similar) | 757 NT$ | ||
| 1 summer dress in a high street store (zara, h&m or similar retailers) | 1,365 NT$ | ||
| 1 pair of sport shoes (nike, adidas, or equivalent brands) | 2,281 NT$ | ||
| 1 pair of men’s leather business shoes | 2,540 NT$ | ||
| Transportation | |||
| Volkswagen golf 1.4 tsi 150 cv (or equivalent), with no extras, new | 916,453 NT$ | ||
| 1 liter (1/4 gallon) of gas | 30 NT$ | ||
| Monthly ticket public transport | 1,388 NT$ | ||
| Personal Care | |||
| Cold medicine for 6 days (tylenol, frenadol, coldrex, or equivalent brands) | 240 NT$ | ||
| 1 box of antibiotics (12 doses) | 240 NT$ | ||
| Short visit to private doctor (15 minutes) | 699 NT$ | ||
| 1 box of 32 tampons (tampax, ob, ...) | 199 NT$ | ||
| Deodorant, roll-on (50ml ~ 1.5 oz.) | 199 NT$ | ||
| Hair shampoo 2-in-1 (400 ml ~ 12 oz.) | 280 NT$ | ||
| 4 rolls of toilet paper | 52 NT$ | ||
| Tube of toothpaste | 70 NT$ | ||
| Standard men's haircut in expat area of the city | 800 NT$ | ||
| Entertainment | |||
| Basic dinner out for two in neighborhood pub | 537 NT$ | ||
| 2 tickets to the movies | 633 NT$ | ||
| 2 tickets to the theater (best available seats) | - | ||
| Dinner for two at an italian restaurant in the expat area including appetisers, main course, wine and dessert | 2,284 NT$ | ||
| 1 cocktail drink in downtown club | 404 NT$ | ||
| Cappuccino in expat area of the city | 178 NT$ | ||
| 1 beer in neighbourhood pub (500ml or 1pt.) | 212 NT$ | ||
| Ipad wi-fi 128gb | 10,193 NT$ | ||
| 1 min. of prepaid mobile tariff (no discounts or plans) | 5.46 NT$ | ||
| 1 month of gym membership in business district | 939 NT$ | ||
| 1 package of marlboro cigarettes | 128 NT$ | ||
Moving to Taiwan with your children?
International Schools in Taiwan
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 | 107 |
| 2nd | Taichung City | 91 |
| 3rd | Kaohsiung City | 86 |
| 4th | Tainan City | 73 |
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 57% cheaper than in Singapore
- Cost of living in Taipei is 44% cheaper than in Berkeley, California
- Cost of living in Taipei is 46% cheaper than in Hong Kong
- Cost of living in Taipei is 56% cheaper than in New York City
- Cost of living in Taipei is 23% cheaper than in Helsinki
- Cost of living in Taipei is 10% more expensive than in Valencia
- Cost of living in Tainan City is 48% cheaper than in Helsinki
- Cost of living in Taipei is 83% more expensive than in Hanoi
- Cost of living in Taipei is 61% more expensive than in Kuala Lumpur
- Cost of living in Taipei is 18% more expensive than in Taichung City
- Cost of living in Taipei is 44% cheaper than in London
- Cost of living in Kaohsiung City is 55% cheaper than in London
- Cost of living in Taichung City is 25% more expensive than in Praia
- Cost of living in Taipei is 12% cheaper than in Seoul
- Cost of living in Taipei is about the same as in Madrid
- Cost of living in Taipei is 5% cheaper than in Winnipeg
- Cost of living in Taipei is 96% more expensive than in Bogotá
- Cost of living in Taipei is 63% more expensive than in Chiang Mai
- Cost of living in Taipei is about the same as in Lisbon
- Cost of living in Taichung City is 103% more expensive than in Tashkent