Taipei’s economic hub and metropolitan atmosphere attract expats from all over the world. Known for its architecture, cuisine, and quiet wealth, Taiwan’s capital lets you dive into its history just by walking down the street. Its historic areas and abundant museums give you plenty to learn about, and you can grab some of the city’s famous beef noodles when you’re done.
Taipei’s electronics and computer industry presence means many expats who move here work in these markets. With low crime rates and safe public transportation, Taipei makes a comfortable home for families and singles alike. Even better, because the cost of living in Taiwan is lower than in most Western cities, many people have more options for where and how to live than they would in their home country.
Cheap Rent and Co-living Options in Taipei
Rent in Taipei is almost 73% lower than in Seattle. Living in Taipei is also cheaper than many other East Asian capital cities, like Tokyo or Seoul, and you can lower your rent costs even further outside the city center.
A studio apartment in the heart of Taipei starts at around $630 per month, while you can find three-bedroom apartments for around $1,600 per month. You might sacrifice a few amenities in less central neighborhoods, but you can get similar apartments for $475 and $1,100 per month, respectively.
Rent costs vary by neighborhood, so if you can’t find anything in your chosen area, try adjusting it. You can also consider getting a roommate, especially if you’re moving by yourself. Facebook groups, iRoommates, and Coliving.com all have listings from people looking to find a roommate in Taipei.
Sometimes, you can find other types of living accommodations, though they don’t always work for families. A share house can open you up to the community and international connections, or you can opt to rent a room in a larger co-living space. These options work well for expats who plan to stay short-term or who need immediate lodging.
Expat Neighborhoods: From Pricey to Trendy
Da’an’s accessibility and amenities make it popular with expats despite its dense population and high rent costs. You’ll likely pay around $1,000 per month for a one-bedroom apartment, and many are over $1,500. Tamsui is quieter and has the same family-friendly environment as Da’an at a lower cost.
Xinyi has affordable apartments if you want to enjoy the nightlife and shopping scene. Likewise, the lively and multicultural Wanhua and Ximending areas give you easy access to public transportation with three-bedroom apartments that cost the same as a one-bedroom in Da’an.
Skip the Supermarket
You’ll probably need to go to Carrefour, Taipei’s largest grocery chain, for some things. But you can stretch your budget by buying local produce, meat, and dairy at the night markets and wet markets. Fresh food costs less there, and you can find a night market just about anywhere.
Shilin Night Market is one of the most popular at over 100 years old, and Raohe Street Night Market has a nearby temple to visit if you get there early. Ningxia Night Market’s old-timey vibe is complete with nostalgic arcade games and reasonable prices.
Earlier in the day, the wet markets sell fresh produce and meat. While smaller than the night markets, they’re the cheapest way to get high-quality protein while supporting local vendors. Based on Taipei’s grocery prices, you’ll likely spend $100 to $200 per month on groceries alone.
Don’t forget Taiwan’s “everything stores” or department stores, like Cho Chuang and Xiao Bei Baihuo. You’ll often find nonperishable foods and general household items at a lower price than even the most all-encompassing supermarkets. Most of the time, you can find one of these stores within walking distance of your home.
When You Want to Eat Out
Taipei’s famous beef noodle soup—braised beef cooked slowly in broth with veggies and noodles—makes for a classic and comforting dish. You can also find hot pots, dumplings, and sweet ice treats made with seasonal fruit all over the city.
You can get a meal at a cheap restaurant for around $6, but food costs even less at a market. Gongguan Night Market is renowned for its street food, and you can sample Taiwanese cuisine for under $5 at some stalls. But if you’re set on sitting down to enjoy cozy beef noodles, Beef Noodle of the King has Taiwanese and Chinese cuisine, or try the dumplings at Fuda Dumpling.
Quick and Convenient Taipei Travel
The Taipei Metro’s organized system makes announcements in five languages, including English and Taiwanese, and has some stricter rules than other parts of the world. For example, you can’t eat, drink, or chew gum on the train, though you can bring pets. It also has designated seating for elderly, disabled, and pregnant people.
To travel along the metro’s six lines, you’ll need an EasyCard. With it, you can pay for a single journey at $0.63 to $2.06, depending on how far you travel, or get a one-day pass for $4.76. You can also get a Taipei Metro Pass for 24, 48, or 72 hours.
The Taipei Joint Bus System has air-conditioned, clean buses to take you around the city. The buses work differently than the metro in that you pay by section in $0.48 increments. Some buses have you pay when you board, while others accept payment when you get off, as indicated by a sign above the driver.
A taxi can offer more private and faster service, but it’s much more expensive than the metro or bus. Fares start at $2.22, with $0.16 added for every 0.12 miles. You may want to avoid taxi rides during rush hour, though, since the streets get busy, and it can take a while to find an available car.
Sending Your Child to School
Taipei has 17 international schools, but it can be hard to get into them, given how few schools serve such a large city. Most of them are in the northern part of the city, and only four have the International Baccalaureate, which helps students get into more universities worldwide.
Expats on a budget may find these schools expensive. Many of them cost as much as a year’s worth of rent, especially if you’re looking at IB schools, like Taipei American School and Taipei European School. Among these, only the Taipei European School publishes its fees online, showing $16,000 to $25,000 per year.
You can find other, cheaper schools, like the Taipei Adventist American School at $15,000 to $16,500 per year or the Hsinchu International School at $10,500 to $15,000 per year. Neither of these has the IB, so it’s worth talking to schools directly to ask what they offer and how much it costs.
For children who aren’t ready for international schooling, Taipei has plenty of daycare services, like Little Tree House and Taipei Private Panda Day Care School in Da’an. Daycare can cost $500 to $700 per month for each child, so some parents opt for a less formal babysitter instead.
Stay Well and Join a Gym
Taiwan has universal healthcare, as well as thousands of private clinics. Its accessible facilities and shorter wait times make it even more appealing than many other countries with free healthcare. Still, you may get rushed through appointments and find it hard to see a specialist if you need one. Taiwan’s universal healthcare also covers dental, which isn’t the case everywhere.
If you want to manage your health, Taipei Sports and Fitness Center has memberships as low as $20 for its basic tier. Air Fitness in Da’an has the typical gym equipment as well as yoga classes, and World Gym Taiwan in Xinyi’s personal training, Zumba, and aerobics give you plenty of options. And, if you’re more of an outdoors person, Zhongshan has an outdoor gym where you can exercise in the fresh air.
Take a Break in the City
As an expat, you’ll want to explore a mix of tourist attractions and local spots. You can learn about Taiwan’s history at the many museums in Taipei, and Longshan Temple gives you a glimpse of the city’s past with 300-year-old architecture. At the National Palace Museum, you can see over 700,000 artifacts and art pieces. On certain holidays, you can even visit the museum for free.
Taipei has many free festivals, and you can always explore the markets and shopping centers at Taipei City Mall, Taipei 101, and the Gongguan Shopping District. They have everything from luxury goods to thrifty finds for every style and preference.
If you prefer outdoor exploring, Yehliu Geopark makes a great outing for the kids, and it has a free guided tour. Shiding Old Street and Jiufen both offer quiet places to walk in New Taipei City while giving you a chance to experience their history and nostalgia.
Make Taipei Your New Home
Taipei’s safe environment and efficient transportation make it ideal for your evolving lifestyle. Whether you move on your own and plan to raise a family eventually or want to enjoy the city independently, Taipei has a beautiful mix of modern convenience and hundreds of years of history. With a much lower cost of living than Western cities—and even lower than many other East Asian ones—you’ll likely find it a great fit for your budget.
Don’t Forget to Travel Safely as an Expat!
It’s true that medical care is cheaper in most countries than here in the U.S. But that does not mean you should skip out of international health insurance when living on a budget in Taipei, Taiwan.
Other parts of the world are seeing higher medical care costs. Singapore is a great example of this. Costs can be even higher than the U.S in some medical centers.
But one thing expatriates forget is that the emergency medical flight, when needed, can be very expensive. Emergency medical evacuation can easily start at USD25,000. We have even seen it be as high as USD120,000. Especially when one needs a specialized plane to help stabilize one’s medical condition as they are flown to another country.
Since our founding in 1997, Good Neighbor Insurance has provided a variety of expatriate medical insurance options to fit one’s request and budget. And all of our expatriate medical insurance provides the vital emergency medical evacuation benefit!
Good Neighbor Insurance Global Brokerage also provides videos on how to best use your expatriate insurance with answers that our clients over the course of our founding back in 1997 has asked us over the years. You may find some of our great expat insurance videos here.
