Moving to Taiwan from China
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from China to Taiwan — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from China to Taiwan, you would find that Taiwan is 42.5% more expensive than China overall. A CN¥500,000 salary in China would need to be roughly NT$3,460,000 in Taiwan to maintain the same lifestyle.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Taiwan cheaper than China?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 33.4% more
Groceries
pay 99.7% more
Transportation
pay 33.7% more
Housing
pay 40.8% more
Childcare
pay 0.3% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 21.6% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
What salary do you need in Taiwan?
What does your salary buy?
CN¥500,000 → NT$3,460,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Taiwan
Calculate with your salary →Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Taiwan cost about 46% more than cities in China.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
How China and Taiwan stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
China performs better than Taiwan across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
China generally does better on employment & economy, though Taiwan leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
percentage of adults who can read and write
Taiwan performs significantly better than China across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), The World Factbook (2012–2022), State Administration of Taxation (2016), Taxation Administration, Ministry of Finance, R.O.C. (2016). How we calculate this
Can you move from China to Taiwan?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between China and Taiwan. To live, work, or study long-term in Taiwan, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Taiwan's immigration authority.
China passport holder visiting Taiwan
Visa Required
Taiwan passport holder visiting China
Visa on ArrivalData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Taiwan than China?
Day-to-day costs in Taiwan run about 42% higher than China on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to Taiwan?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a CN¥500,000 comparable salary, that's around NT$865,000 in Taiwan for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Taiwan?
Working remotely from Taiwan's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in China and Taiwan.
What language do they speak in Taiwan?
Both China and Taiwan share the same official language: Chinese.
