Moving to Taiwan from Thailand
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Thailand to Taiwan — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Thailand to Taiwan, you would find that Taiwan is 16.9% more expensive than Thailand overall. A THB2,500,000 salary in Thailand would need to be roughly NT$2,850,000 in Taiwan to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Chinese. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Taiwan cheaper than Thailand?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 15.2% more
Groceries
pay 59.4% more
Transportation
pay 6.8% less
Housing
pay 9.8% more
Childcare
pay 25.8% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 9.8% 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?
THB2,500,000 → NT$2,850,000
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 17% more than cities in Thailand.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Thailand to Taiwan.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Thailand 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
Thailand 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
Taiwan performs significantly better than Thailand across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2022–2025), The World Factbook (2012–2022), The Revenue Department, Government of Thailand (2016), Taxation Administration, Ministry of Finance, R.O.C. (2016). How we calculate this
Can you move from Thailand to Taiwan?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Thailand 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.
Thailand passport holder visiting Taiwan
Visa Free
Taiwan passport holder visiting Thailand
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 Thailand?
No — Taiwan is on average about 17% more expensive than Thailand. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Taiwan?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly NT$712,500 in Taiwan on a THB2,500,000 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 Thailand, the official language is Thai.
