Moving to Taiwan from South Korea
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from South Korea to Taiwan — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from South Korea to Taiwan, you would find that Taiwan is 23.7% cheaper than South Korea overall. A ₩100,000,000 salary in South Korea would need to be roughly NT$1,850,000 in Taiwan to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Chinese.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Taiwan cheaper than South Korea?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 31.4% less
Groceries
pay 25.8% less
Transportation
pay 11.3% less
Housing
pay 28.4% less
Childcare
pay 7.7% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 24.9% 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.
What salary do you need in Taiwan?
What does your salary buy?
₩100,000,000 → NT$1,850,000
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 4% less than cities in South Korea.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
How South Korea and Taiwan stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
South Korea 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
South Korea generally does better on employment & economy, though Taiwan leads in poverty 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
South Korea generally does better on family life, though Taiwan leads in literacy rate.
Sources: The World Factbook (2012–2022), World Bank (2024–2025), National Tax Service, South Korea (2016), Taxation Administration, Ministry of Finance, R.O.C. (2016). How we calculate this
Can you move from South Korea to Taiwan?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Korea 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.
South Korea passport holder visiting Taiwan
Visa Free
Taiwan passport holder visiting South Korea
Visa FreeData: 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 South Korea?
Generally yes: Taiwan runs about 24% cheaper than South Korea 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 ₩100,000,000 comparable salary, that's around NT$462,500 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 South Korea and Taiwan.
What language do they speak in Taiwan?
The official language in Taiwan is Chinese. In South Korea, the official language is Korean.
