New Taipei City vs Keelung (Chi-Lung): Which City Wins for Expats in 2026?
New Taipei City costs roughly 14% less than Keelung (Chi-Lung). Beyond cost, the two cities are closely matched — lifestyle fit and visa options are likely the deciding factors. Use our tool below to personalize the estimate based on your income and lifestyle.
Keelung (Chi-Lung) is approximately 80% less expensive than New Taipei City based on cost of living including rent. This makes Keelung (Chi-Lung) a more budget-friendly option for expats considering a move.
Keelung (Chi-Lung) has a FIRE Score of 81/100, indicating its suitability for financial independence and early retirement. The city's safety index is 85, which is relatively safe.
Recommended profile: Keelung (Chi-Lung) is ideal for GeoArbitragers and remote workers looking to maximize savings.
About New Taipei City
New Taipei City is the pragmatic pick for anyone who wants Taipei's energy without Taipei's rent, and the numbers back it up: $1,012/mo for a one-bedroom downtown versus $483/mo outside the center, with a single adult scraping by on a $690/mo budget tier. The tradeoff is wages, since an average monthly net salary of $1,755/mo means locals feel those costs far more than remote workers earning abroad, and the $4,977/mo income floor on the Taiwan Digital Nomad Visa (Gold Card) shuts out plenty of would-be arrivals. Still, an 85/100 expat score, 82/100 safety index, and excellent healthcare make it a genuinely livable base, especially in Banqiao, Xindian, or Tamsui. Come for the cheap rent and the 150 Mbps internet, stay if you can bring your own salary.
About Taiwan
No retirement visa exists, and the digital nomad route demands $4,977/month income (remote work allowed), so budget retirees are locked out. This suits high-earning remote workers who want elite healthcare (86.5 index), high safety (82.9), and fast internet, and can tolerate a complex path to permanent residency and 40% top tax rates.
$2,015/mo
Cost of Living (Without Rent)
Rent Per Month
Attractiveness
City Details
About Keelung (Chi-Lung)
Keelung is a budget-friendly outlier in Taiwan, where a single adult can live comfortably on $1,020/mo and rent a one-bedroom downtown for just $564/mo, yet the average local salary of $2,437/mo leaves plenty of room to save. The city is safe (crime index 15/100) and has excellent healthcare, but English proficiency is limited and the expat community is small, so you'll need Mandarin to truly settle in. Its proximity to Taipei (45 km from TPE) makes it a practical base, though the air quality index of 55 and a subtropical climate that brings rain are real trade-offs. If you want a cheap, secure launchpad for Taiwan without the capital's costs, Keelung delivers, but don't expect a buzzing international scene.
About Taiwan
No retirement visa exists, and the digital nomad route demands $4,977/month income (remote work allowed), so budget retirees are locked out. This suits high-earning remote workers who want elite healthcare (86.5 index), high safety (82.9), and fast internet, and can tolerate a complex path to permanent residency and 40% top tax rates.
$2,143/mo
Cost of Living (Without Rent)
Rent Per Month
Attractiveness
City Details
Which visa fits your move?
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| Metric | New Taipei City | Keelung (Chi-Lung) |
|---|---|---|
| 1BR Apartment (Center) | $1012.31 | $563.67 |
| 1BR Apartment (Outside) | $482.92 | $469.72 |
| 3BR Apartment (Center) | $1554.12 | $1033.39 |
| 3BR Apartment (Outside) | $956.5 | $939.44 |
| Safety Index | 82 | 85 |
| Internet Speed | 150Mbps | 125Mbps |
| Walkability Score | N/A | N/A |
Monthly cost by categoryOne person, computed from each city's own average prices
| Category | New Taipei City | Keelung (Chi-Lung) |
|---|---|---|
| Total (rent included) | $1,029/mo | $886/mo |
| Excluding rent | $546/mo | $416/mo |
| Rent | $483/mo | $470/mo |
| Groceries | $228/mo | $156/mo |
| Dining out | $47.00/mo | $47.00/mo |
| Entertainment & lifestyle | $102/mo | $83.00/mo |
| Utilities & connectivity | $131/mo | $67.00/mo |
| Transport | $38.00/mo | $63.00/mo |
Usage-based estimates from this city's own average prices. A row marked N/A means that city is missing data, so no figure is shown instead of a stale one.
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New Taipei City vs Keelung (Chi-Lung) -- Frequently Asked Questions
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