Cost of living in Taiwan

Compare the cost of your home country to the actual living costs in Taiwan, simply select your home currency and see the difference!

All data is kept up to date by local members and actual students. Our latest update was on: 30th of June 2020

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Food			Price in NT$
12 eggs dozen, large			12.50 TWD
1 beer pint in local shops, markets			7 TWD
1 kg of tomatoes			8.50 TWD
Full chicken 2kg			38.75 TWD
1litre 100% fruit juice			8.50 TWD
1 package of cigarettes imported brands			25 TWD
1 kg (2 lb.) of apples			7.50 TWD
1 bottle of red table wine, good quality			48.95 TWD
2.5 liters of Coca-Cola			0.95 TWD
1 Bread loaf standard			9.50 TWD
Whole fat Yogurt. 500ml			12 TWD
1x6 pack Dardanelle tuna			18.50 TWD
Heinz baked beans 1 tin			8 TWD
1.5 kg Sugar			10 TWD
2 liter cooking oil			20 TWD
Yum-yum noodles per pack			2.00 TWD
1 kg (2 lb.) of potatoes			5.50 TWD
1 liter milk			8.50 TWD
Fast food restaurant large serving/ take away			25 TWD
Housing
Utilities per month (water, electricity, gas) for 2 people in flat			165 TWD
Wi-Fi monthly fee 8 Mbps (1 month)			145 TWD
Laundry detergent (bleach, sunlight liquid, washing surf… altogether)			58.50 TWD
House Cleaning fee per day			105 TWD
Large Gas heater price range upwards.			200 TWD
Original branded Electric Fans			200 TWD
Original branded Electric kettle.			120 TWD
40 inches Beko flat screen HD TV set			2000 TWD
Single bed Blankets			120 TWD
Personal Care
Avon for women and men cologne			100 TWD
Ladies hair plaiting.			60 TWD
Ladies Sanitaryware (Pads and Tampoons)			18 TWD
Men's haircut			40 TWD
Ibuprofen, Panadol, Grandpa Pain killers box of 12 dosses			24.50 TWD
Mobile package local network providers’ talk-time, data and messages			65 TWD
1 month of gym subscription.			105 TWD
Earphones original (Samsung. iPhone)			90 TWD
Unisex Loris perfume			30 TWD
Gadgets maintenance and repairs (cellphone, laptops, tablets...) starting price.			100 TWD
Smart phones (Samsung, Xiaomi, HTC, IPhone) price range upwards			1000 TWD
Laptops (Samsung, Lenovo, Hp, Monster, Dell etc.) price range upwards			3000 TWD
Entertainment
Boat cruise with refreshments and finger snacks			120 TWD
Go carting 30mins			120 TWD
Movie House 3d cinema			30 TWD
Summer Festivals (jet, bumper cars, lucky deep ...(per ticket)			15 TWD
Photo shoot			120 TWD
Cappuccino / expresso/ coffee			12.50 TWD
3 course dinner local restaurant two people			96.50 TWD
3 course dinner classy, exotic restaurant two people			150 TWD
Play station 4 console without games.			2000 TWD
Spalding Basketball			200 TWD
Original branded Racket and Wilson’s tennis balls			500 TWD
Transportation
Taxi fare on average 5-10km			45 TWD
Public transport per trip one way maximum fare			30 TWD
1 liter petrol/diesel			6.50 TWD
1 day rent a car cost			140 TWD
Driver’s license			2300 TWD
Clothes
1 pair of jeans (Denim or similar)			150 TWD
1 pair of men’s formal shoes			215 TWD
1 pair original sport/casual shoes (Nike, Adidas, or equivalent brands)			280 TWD
1 classy summer dress (Zara, H&M or similar retailers)			135.79 TWD
Ladies formal shoes original and durable			120 TWD
Back-pack, gym bag (Nike, Adidas, New balance)			150 TWD

The Taiwan currency is the NTD and the four denominations of bills are NTD 2.000, NTD 1.000, NTD 500, and NTD 100 while the six denominations of coins are NTD 50, NTD 10, NTD 5, and NTD 1. Cash payment is common in Taiwan though many shops do accept credit cards. Cheques are hardly used in Taiwan for payment of everyday expenses.

In addition to your tuition fees, your accommodation costs will be your biggest financial burden. It is worth doing the research before you arrive on your accommodation options, and better to research the cost of things such as utilities (electricity, gas, water, telephone), public transportation, food, and so on. The cost of all things may vary depending on the area you will be living in.

Accommodation

On-campus Accommodation

On-campus undergraduate dormitories are divided based on gender and are open to students all year round. Typically, four to six students share a room. Usually, pets are not allowed. University students usually wear something casual to class. Coin-operated Laundromats can be found inside dormitory buildings. At on-campus dining halls, meals cost NTD 40- 130 (≡USD$ 1- USD$4).

Food stalls, cafes, and inexpensive restaurants are usually close to campus, typically within 15 minutes of walking. Some campuses have on-campus health centers, which provide medical assistance for minor ailments. Some schools have a post office, a bookstore, and a bank on campus. The expenses of on-campus accommodation are about NTD 6.000 to 10.000 (≡USD$ 190 - USD $ 310) per semester.

Off-campus Accommodation

If dormitories are unavailable or you prefer a different living arrangement, off-campus apartments, including studios and flats, are always at your disposal. Most Chinese learning centers provide information about local rentals on the internet. Depending on the accommodation’s type, quality, and location, rent ranges from NTD 3.000 to 13.000 (≡USD$95 - USD$410) per month.

Public Transportation

Taiwan's two major cities, Taipei and Kaohsiung, both have Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) metro systems that are affordable. These are clean, safe, convenient, and reliable. All signs and ticket machines are in English. The cheapest price for a one-way ticket is 20NT$ and it goes all the way up to 65NT$. In all the stations, you will find machines where you can purchase single-trip tickets.

Bus

Taipei Pass is also usable to take the metro and the city buses. The one-day ticket costs NT$180, a two-day ticket costs NT$310, a three-day ticket costs NT$440, and a five-day ticket costs NT$700. The bus to Chiayi costs about NT$250 with a duration of 4.5 hours, to Tainan takes 5 hours and NT$350, to Kaohsiung costs NT$500 with the travel time of 6 hours, and to Hualien takes 5 hours with the ticket price of NT$400.

Ship

There are ships traveling between Taipei and Fujian Pingtan on Mainland China. The ship from Pingtan departs at 9 am on Monday and Saturday, and 2 pm on Tuesday and Wednesday. The duration is about three hours. A first-class ticket costs NT$6.500 and a tourist class ticket cost NT$4.500 for a single trip and you may enjoy a discount.

Bike

Taipei has about 180 bicycle lease stations and riding a bike is a good way to see the city. You can use the Easy Card to rent or pay NT$2.000 as a deposit. It takes NT$10 every 30 minutes for the first four hours, NT$20 every 30 minutes for 4-8 hours, and NT$40 every 30 minutes after 8 hours. On the way, you can find clear route signs. There are also detailed cycling maps for you.

Taxis In Taiwan

It is a safe bet that wherever you are in Taiwan, a yellow taxi is not far away. Equally appealing is the cheap fare, which starts at NT$70 for the first 1.5km and rises by NT$5 for every additional 0.5km.

Grocery Shopping

While meal prices in Taiwan can vary, the average cost of food in Taiwan is NT$423 per day. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out an average meal in Taiwan should cost around NT$169 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. Below are some of the prices for basics that a student might be in need of:

Entertainment

• Qingdao Beer 0,33L USD$0.94 – USD$1.08 = 28 - 32 TWD
• 0.5L Heineken Beer USD$2 = 58 TWD
• Heineken Beer 0,33 USD$l 1.2 = 37 TWD
• Beer Asahi 0.33l USD$1.5 = 45 TWD
• Taiwan beer 0.5l. USD$1.6 = 48 TWD
• Rice vodka 0.5l. USD$3.4 – USD$4 = 100 - 120 TWD
• Taipei Zoo USD$2= 60 TWD
• Ticket to the aquarium near the geological park Yehliu USD$13.5 = 400 TWD
• Ride the historic Japanese small train in the park Yun Hsien USD$ 3.4 = 100 TWD
• Cable Car at Park Yun Hsien round-trip USD$8.1 = 240 TWD
• Ticket to Ocean park (children's amusement part) USD$26.9 = 800 TWD
• Cableway from the zoo to the tea village Maokong one way USD$1.7 = 50 TWD
• Thermal baths in the village Wulai in spa salon on the bank of the River USD$20.2 – USD$26.9 USD = 600 - 800 TWD

Health Insurance

In Taiwan, employers are legally required to subsidize the health insurance of their employees. Foreign employees will be placed on the National Health Insurance and receive the same benefits as Taiwanese locals. For a small stipend, expats in Taiwan can have access to Western doctors, Chinese doctors, hospitalization, dentistry, prescription medicine, and more.

National Health Insurance (NHI)

Foreign students who have stayed in Taiwan for more than six months and have been issued with ARC must join the NHI. Once you join this insurance scheme, you will be issued an NHI card. You show the card for registration when you visit a doctor each time. The monthly NHI cost is NT$749, which is NT$ 4.494 for each semester.

Medical Insurance

Since you can only get NHI after six months of your arrival, in order to safeguard your right to health care during the first six months, the National Health Insurance and Medical Insurance can help you get medical insurance at first that can cover your medical procedures in Taiwan.

As an international student, you don’t need to separately apply for it as it will be given to you as soon as the tuition is paid. The Medical Insurance cost is NT$4.000 for one semester.