Anyang vs Kaohsiung: Which City Wins for Expats in 2026?
Kaohsiung costs roughly 60% less than Anyang. Anyang has significantly faster average internet speeds (200 Mbps vs 75 Mbps). Use our tool below to personalize the estimate based on your income and lifestyle.
Anyang is approximately 9% less expensive than Kaohsiung based on cost of living including rent. This makes Anyang a more budget-friendly option for expats considering a move.
Anyang has a FIRE Score of 69/100, indicating its suitability for financial independence and early retirement. The city's safety index is 80, which is relatively safe.
Recommended profile: Anyang is well-suited for retirees seeking a balanced lifestyle.
About Anyang
Anyang is a quietly practical pick for expats who want Seoul access without Seoul rent: a city center one-bedroom runs $372/mo, and the overall cost of living index sits at 72/100 against a local average net salary of $1,752/mo. The trade-offs are real, though. Air quality is poor at an index of 100, the expat community is small and clustered around Pyeongchon, and the $5,500/mo income floor on the South Korea Digital Nomad Visa shuts out most remote workers. Come for the safety index of 80/100 and excellent healthcare, not for a big international social scene.
About South Korea
A 1BR downtown runs $677, less than half of comparable rent in Boston or Seattle. Add $966 for monthly living costs and a solid 82.8 healthcare index, and the math works even before factoring in the 6% to 45% progressive tax. The Workcation Visa requires $5,500/mo income, steep for most remote workers. No retirement visa and a difficult residency pathway mean this fits nomads far better than retirees chasing permanent residency.
$2,158/mo
Cost of Living (Without Rent)
Rent Per Month
Attractiveness
City Details
About Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung is the rare Asian city where a single adult can live on a budget tier of $527/mo and still afford a $5 restaurant meal and a $13/mo public transport pass. Rent is the clincher: $407/mo for a one-bedroom downtown, $281/mo outside the center, which explains why expats score it 88/100 and FIRE types match that number exactly. The trade-offs are real, though, with an air quality index of 75 and local net salaries averaging just $1,451/mo, so remote workers earning abroad get far more out of this tropical port than locals do. For a 2.7 million-person city with excellent healthcare and a large, active expat scene in Zuoying and Gushan, that math is hard to beat.
About Taiwan
No retirement visa exists, and the digital nomad route demands $4,977/month income (remote work allowed), so budget retirees are locked out. This suits high-earning remote workers who want elite healthcare (86.5 index), high safety (82.9), and fast internet, and can tolerate a complex path to permanent residency and 40% top tax rates.
$2,260/mo
Cost of Living (Without Rent)
Rent Per Month
Attractiveness
City Details
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| Metric | Anyang | Kaohsiung |
|---|---|---|
| 1BR Apartment (Center) | $372.17 | $407.02 |
| 1BR Apartment (Outside) | $260.52 | $280.54 |
| 3BR Apartment (Center) | $1116.52 | $980.75 |
| 3BR Apartment (Outside) | $744.35 | $678.01 |
| Safety Index | 80 | 82 |
| Internet Speed | 200Mbps | 75Mbps |
| Walkability Score | N/A | N/A |
Monthly cost by categoryOne person, computed from each city's own average prices
| Category | Anyang | Kaohsiung |
|---|---|---|
| Total (rent included) | $937/mo | $784/mo |
| Excluding rent | $676/mo | $503/mo |
| Rent | $261/mo | $281/mo |
| Groceries | $206/mo | $211/mo |
| Dining out | $60.00/mo | $55.00/mo |
| Entertainment & lifestyle | $158/mo | $96.00/mo |
| Utilities & connectivity | $252/mo | $128/mo |
| Transport | N/A | $13.00/mo |
Usage-based estimates from this city's own average prices. A row marked N/A means that city is missing data, so no figure is shown instead of a stale one.
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Anyang vs Kaohsiung -- Frequently Asked Questions
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