Taipei vs Taitung
for digital nomads
Under balanced weights Taipei edges it, 74 to 70, winning 2 of the 9 factors. Taipei is stronger on getting there & around; Taitung on nothing outright. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.
Safe, efficient and surprisingly affordable
Full Taipei profile →Where to stay in Taipei →Taiwan's slow Pacific east coast, with hot springs and surf
Full Taitung profile →Where to stay in Taitung →Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)
| Metric | Taipei | Taitung |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | 40 | 43 ✓ |
| Safety | 86 | 86 |
| Healthcare | 84 | 84 |
| Internet | 73 | 75 ✓ |
| Visa ease | 71 | 71 |
| Getting there & around | 82 ✓ | 51 |
| Climate | 58 | 58 |
| Air quality | 86 ✓ | 83 |
| Quality of life | 81 | 81 |
Cost
| Metric | Taipei | Taitung |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost, one personcountry-level estimate for at least one city | $1,691 | $1,550 ✓ |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data |
Safety and health (country-level)
| Metric | Taipei | Taitung |
|---|---|---|
| Homicides per 100k | 0.8 | 0.8 |
| Political stability (0–100) | 83.1 | 83.1 |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | no data | no data |
| Life expectancy | 80.2 yrs | 80.2 yrs |
Internet (M-Lab measured medians)
| Metric | Taipei | Taitung |
|---|---|---|
| Download | 44.8 Mbps | 49 Mbps ✓ |
| Upload | 19.3 Mbps | 22.1 Mbps ✓ |
Visa
| Metric | Taipei | Taitung |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad visa | Digital nomad visitor visa | Digital nomad visitor visa |
| Minimum income for the visa | $3,333/mo | $3,333/mo |
| Entry, US passport | 90 days | 90 days |
| Entry, EU passport | 90 days | 90 days |
| Entry, UK passport | 90 days | 90 days |
Getting there and around
| Metric | Taipei | Taitung |
|---|---|---|
| Non-stop airport destinations | 113 ✓ | 39 |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 4 ✓ | 3 |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 5 ✓ | 2 |
Climate and air
| Metric | Taipei | Taitung |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable months per year | 7 | 7 |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 11.5 µg/m³ ✓ | 12.7 µg/m³ |
✓ marks the better value in each row; ties and missing data are left unmarked.
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper, Taipei or Taitung?
- Taitung is cheaper: about $1,550 per month versus $1,691 for one person.
- Is Taipei or Taitung safer?
- Taipei scores higher on safety (86 vs 86), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.
- Where is the internet faster, Taipei or Taitung?
- Taitung: a measured median of 49 Mbps versus 44.8 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).
More comparisons
Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); UHC service coverage index; M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024); Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables); NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means); SatPM2.5 satellite-derived annual PM2.5 (V6.GL.02.04); EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band); Walkability and transit ratings (editorial); Life expectancy at birth, Taiwan (Ministry of the Interior); Intentional homicide rate, Taiwan (National Police Agency via Wikipedia); Human Development Index, Taiwan (DGBAS calculation); Annual mean PM2.5, Taipei (Taiwan Ministry of Environment); Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations); WhereNext city cost estimates 2026 (city pages); OpenStreetMap restaurants (Overpass API); Nostos long-stay visa guides; Starlink availability map. Dataset 2026.10.7. See each city page for per-metric footnotes and the methodology.