New Taipei City vs Kaohsiung: Which City Wins for Expats in 2026?
Kaohsiung costs roughly 18% less than New Taipei City. New Taipei City has significantly faster average internet speeds (150 Mbps vs 75 Mbps). Use our tool below to personalize the estimate based on your income and lifestyle.
Kaohsiung is approximately 149% less expensive than New Taipei City based on cost of living including rent. This makes Kaohsiung a more budget-friendly option for expats considering a move.
Kaohsiung has a FIRE Score of 88/100, indicating its suitability for financial independence and early retirement. The city's safety index is 82, which is relatively safe.
Recommended profile: Kaohsiung is ideal for GeoArbitragers and remote workers looking to maximize savings.
About New Taipei City
New Taipei City is the pragmatic pick for anyone who wants Taipei's energy without Taipei's rent, and the numbers back it up: $1,012/mo for a one-bedroom downtown versus $483/mo outside the center, with a single adult scraping by on a $690/mo budget tier. The tradeoff is wages, since an average monthly net salary of $1,755/mo means locals feel those costs far more than remote workers earning abroad, and the $4,977/mo income floor on the Taiwan Digital Nomad Visa (Gold Card) shuts out plenty of would-be arrivals. Still, an 85/100 expat score, 82/100 safety index, and excellent healthcare make it a genuinely livable base, especially in Banqiao, Xindian, or Tamsui. Come for the cheap rent and the 150 Mbps internet, stay if you can bring your own salary.
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.
$2,015/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 | New Taipei City | Kaohsiung |
|---|---|---|
| 1BR Apartment (Center) | $1012.31 | $407.02 |
| 1BR Apartment (Outside) | $482.92 | $280.54 |
| 3BR Apartment (Center) | $1554.12 | $980.75 |
| 3BR Apartment (Outside) | $956.5 | $678.01 |
| Safety Index | 82 | 82 |
| Internet Speed | 150Mbps | 75Mbps |
| Walkability Score | N/A | N/A |
Monthly cost by categoryOne person, computed from each city's own average prices
| Category | New Taipei City | Kaohsiung |
|---|---|---|
| Total (rent included) | $1,029/mo | $784/mo |
| Excluding rent | $546/mo | $503/mo |
| Rent | $483/mo | $281/mo |
| Groceries | $228/mo | $211/mo |
| Dining out | $47.00/mo | $55.00/mo |
| Entertainment & lifestyle | $102/mo | $96.00/mo |
| Utilities & connectivity | $131/mo | $128/mo |
| Transport | $38.00/mo | $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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New Taipei City vs Kaohsiung -- Frequently Asked Questions
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