Taiwan, Taipei

Country Full Name: Republic of China (ROC).

Location: Taiwan is in Eastern Asia, and comprises islands bordering the East China Sea, Philippine Sea, South China Sea, and Taiwan Strait, north of the Philippines, off the southeastern coast of China.

Country Climate: Tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year.

Country Terrain: Eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west.

Major Languages: Mandarin Chinese (official), Min Nan Chinese (Taiwanese).

Major Religions: Taoism, Buddhism, Christianity.

Population: 23.0 million (2008 est.) 23.2 million (2009 est.).

Country Economy: The economy of Taiwan is a dynamic capitalist economy. Real growth in GDP has averaged about 8% during the past three decades. The service sector makes up 73% of the economy.

Currency: Taiwan Dollar (TWD).

Inflation: 1.4% (2011 est.).

City: Taipei is the largest city in Taiwan and is the de facto capital of the Republic of China.

City Economy: As the capital of the Republic of China, Taipei has been at the center of rapid economic development in the country and has now become one of the global cities in the production of high technology and its components.

The cost of living in Taipei in Taiwan is very high compared to other places. The overall cost of living is determined using the prices for defined quantities of the same goods and services across 13 Basket Groups. Taipei in Taiwan is currently ranked 56 overall out of 950 places (rank 1 is most expensive: rank 950 is least expensive). The cost of living rank for each of the 13 Basket Groups is as follows:

Alcohol & Tobacco costs are average compared to other places for items such as alcoholic beverages, alcohol at a bar, beer, locally produced spirit, whiskey, and wine (where alcohol is legally sold) as well as for tobacco products such as cigarettes. There are 383 places that are more expensive, and 566 places that are less expensive for alcohol and or tobacco.

Clothing costs are average compared to other places for items such as clothing and footwear products, business suits, casual clothing, childrens clothing and footwear, coats and hats, evening wear, shoe repairs, and underwear. There are 385 places that are more expensive, and 564 places that are less expensive for clothing.

Communication costs are very low compared to other places for various communication costs such as home telephone rental and call charges, internet connection and service provider fees, mobile / cellular phone contract, data, and calls. There are 814 places that are more expensive, and 135 places that are less expensive for communication.

Education costs are very low compared to other places for items such as creche / pre-school fees, high school / college fees, primary school fees, and tertiary study fees. There are 899 places that are more expensive, and 50 places that are less expensive for education.

Furniture & Appliance costs are very low compared to other places for items such as furniture, household equipment and appliances, DVD player, fridge freezer, iron, kettle, toaster, microwave, light bulbs, television, vacuum cleaner, and washing machine. There are 905 places that are more expensive, and 44 places that are less expensive for furniture and appliances.

Grocery costs are very high compared to other places for items such as food, non-alcoholic beverages and cleaning material items such as baby consumables, baked goods, baking, canned foods, cheese, cleaning products, dairy, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, fruit juices, meat, oil & vinegars, pet food, pre-prepared meals, sauces, seafood, snacks, soft drinks, spices & herbs . There are 182 places that are more expensive, and 767 places that are less expensive for groceries.

Healthcare costs are very high compared to other places for general healthcare, medical and medical insurance, general practitioner consultation rates, hospital private ward daily rate, non-prescription medicine, and private medical insurance / medical aid contributions. There are 50 places that are more expensive, and 899 places that are less expensive for healthcare.

Household Accommodation costs are very high compared to other places for items such as housing, water, electricity, household gas, household fuels, local rates and residential taxes, mortgage, house / flat rental, household electricity consumption, household gas / fuel consumption, household water consumption, and local property rates / taxes / levies. There are 9 places that are more expensive, and 940 places that are less expensive for household accommodation.

Miscellaneous costs are low compared to other places for items such as stationery, linen, general goods and services, domestic help, dry cleaning, linen, office supplies, newspapers and magazines, and postage stamps. There are 584 places that are more expensive, and 365 places that are less expensive for miscellaneous items.

Personal Care costs are very low compared to other places for items such as personal care products and services, cosmetics, hair care, moisturizer / sun block, nappies, pain relief tablets, toilet paper, toothpaste, and soap / shampoo / conditioner. There are 767 places that are more expensive, and 182 places that are less expensive for personal care.

Recreation and Culture costs are low compared to other places for items such as books, camera film, cinema tickets, DVDs and CDs, sports goods, and theatre tickets. There are 748 places that are more expensive, and 201 places that are less expensive for recreation and culture.

Restaurants, Meals Out and Hotel costs are low compared to other places for items such as a business dinner, dinner at a restaurant (non fast food), hotel rates, take away drinks and snacks (fast food). There are 740 places that are more expensive, and 209 places that are less expensive for restaurants, meals out and hotels.

Transport costs are average compared to other places for items such as public transport, vehicle costs, vehicle fuel, vehicle insurance and vehicle maintenance, hire purchase / lease of vehicle, petrol / diesel, public transport service maintenance, tires, vehicle Insurance, and vehicle purchase. There are 516 places that are more expensive, and 433 places that are less expensive for transport.

Personalized cost of living indexes for Taipei in Taiwan are based on the basket groups and comparison location(s) selected in the Calculators.

In terms of the hardship people are likely to experience, assessed in global terms, Taipei in Taiwan is ranked as some hardship with a hardship index of 20%.

Personalized hardship index premiums for Taipei in Taiwan are based on the comparison location(s) selected in the Calculators.

Note: Xpatulator.com data is updated quarterly. The latest update is at at 1 January 2012. Create a personalized cost of living comparison report using the calculators:
Salary Purchasing Power Parity Calculator
Cost of Living Index Calculator
Cost of Living Allowance Calculator