Moving to Taiwan from New York
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from New York to Taiwan — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from New York to Taiwan, you would find that Taiwan is 39.2% cheaper than New York. A $75,000 salary in New York would need to be roughly NT$1,586,510 in Taiwan to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Chinese.
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What to expect for your wallet after moving from New York to Taiwan.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → NT$1,586,510
To maintain the same standard of living in Taiwan
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 64.2% less
Groceries
pay 6.0% less
Transportation
pay 24.7% less
Housing
pay 71.6% less
Childcare
pay 52.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 50.4% less
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 39% less than cities in New York.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from New York to Taiwan.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Taiwan performs significantly better than New York across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Taiwan generally does better on employment & economy, though New York leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Taiwan performs significantly better than New York 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 holder visiting Taiwan
Visa Free
Taiwan passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 New York?
Yes — Taiwan is on average about 34% cheaper than New York. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Taiwan?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly NT$396,628 in Taiwan on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Taiwan?
Usually fine from major cities in Taiwan. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
What language do they speak in Taiwan?
The official language in Taiwan is Chinese. In New York, the official language is English.
