Moving to Taiwan from Illinois

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Illinois to Taiwan — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Illinois to Taiwan, you would find that Taiwan is 34.2% cheaper than Illinois. A $75,000 salary in Illinois would need to be roughly NT$1,843,504 in Taiwan to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Chinese.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Illinois to Taiwan.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 NT$1,843,504

To maintain the same standard of living in Taiwan

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 61.9% less

Groceries

pay 13.8% more

Transportation

pay 17.9% less

Housing

pay 69.0% less

Childcare

pay 49.7% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 43.2% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate:1 USD = 31.86 TWD(June 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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 28% less than cities in Illinois.

Compare cities head-to-head

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Illinois and Taiwan stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet accessUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

IL
89.6%
TW
90.0%

Taiwan performs significantly better than Illinois across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rateBureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

IL
4.8%
TW
3.7%
GDP per capitaBureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

IL
$70,691
TW
$47,800

Taiwan generally does better on employment & economy, though Illinois leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancyOECD Regional Demography, 2022

average years of life at birth

IL
76.8 yrs
TW
81.2 yrs

Taiwan performs significantly better than Illinois across all family life metrics.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.

United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Taiwan

Visa Free
United States passport holders can enter Taiwan without a visa.
Taiwan passport

Taiwan passport holder visiting United States

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Taiwan passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter United States.

Data: 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 Illinois?

Generally yes: Taiwan runs about 23% cheaper than Illinois on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

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 $75,000 comparable salary, that's around NT$460,876 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 Illinois and Taiwan.

What language do they speak in Taiwan?

The official language in Taiwan is Chinese. In Illinois, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

TW
Population12,830,63223,580,712
CurrencyUnited States Dollar ($)New Taiwan Dollar (NT$)
LanguagesEnglishChinese
Driving sideRightRight
Calling code+1+886
Time zones111
Emergency number911110