Well…she said no one hires from abroad and you may have to shell out over $200 to get a visa…because companies don’t pay for it. 
She gave many other reasons, which I’ve taken with a grain of salt. However, it was a little discouraging coming from a friend.
Costco is the best place to buy western food for price and quality. Steaks, Tillamook extra sharp cheddar, coffee, wine, and recently they’ve added real bacon. I was just there and they had zucchini/summer squash pack. Bags of baking potatoes or boiling potatoes are also a good buy. The problem with Costco is that the sizes are so big that sometimes it is difficult to use up everything, but then when you price a small container at the Taiwanese supermarkets, it is still a good deal even if you can’t finish it in time.
City Super has extensive Spanish hams and cured meats. Cheese selection varie son their location, but it is quite satisfying.
If price is a concern, then yes, Costco, but selection is not as wide nor flavorful.
1500 ntd an ounce?! Not really, would be hard pressed to find.
As to friends, yep, some people just like to watch the world burn. We were told there was no deodorant, no this no that. Yes, there is everything, even the same brands… at a price, but most often is juts being logical. Heck, they even got vegemite. It is just not in your corner supermarket because people here do not like sour cream and salty beans with their breakfast tortillas.
Steaks!!! OMGLNWSU…(add more random letters) 
And bacon!!! Geez, I should just go to Taiwan just from hearing about the awesome food options.
Are there…dates in Taiwan? Could I make bacon wrapped dates? 
As far as food goes, I think I will survive quite well in Taiwan. 
Yeah, Japan is expensive. Unless you live in a major city, it’s hard to find “foreign” items without paying a pretty penny. You’ll have to search a bit and ask around. Tokyo (of course) has several options.
Japan has their own cheese and bacon, but it’s nasty. Bacon is not bacon unless it’s bacon. Pork sliced to look like bacon is not bacon.
Does it really not make sense to bring stuff with me then? Like deodorant or toothpaste? E.L. Fudge Cookies? I mean…I can buy a 2 pack of deodorant from the dollar store…
To be honest, most of this stuff can be bought at Costco, but not for a dollar.
At first, I bought my toothpaste from the states because I couldn’t find it in the stores here. I later found them…at Costco.
How much do you care about particular brands? Toothpaste is everywhere here; deodorant can be found. But if you want to get one specific variety of one specific brand, you may have difficulty finding it. There are certainly tons of cookies here, but I’ve never noticed E.L. Fudge Cookies (not that I have any idea what they are anyway).
When I visit Canada, the main things I bring back to Taiwan these days are for the kitchen: ethnic food ingredients (dried chili peppers, for example), or kitchenware (there’s plenty of dirt-cheap crap here, and insanely overpriced luxury stuff, but not much in the decent quality midrange). And deodorant, because I’ve never noticed the brand I like here, and sunscreen, because it’s very pricy here.
Bring things that you will really miss. I bring some hair products that are quite expensive here. If you are really tall or wear large shoe sizes, you’ll want to bring those as well. Each trip home, I seem to bring back strange cooking equipment like a food processor, tortilla press, etc. You also learn how to make things yourself. I’ve been pleasantly surprised how easy it is to make ricotta cheese, real bread, graham crackers, etc. Taiwan has a wonderful selection of fruits, veges, seafood, chicken and pork at the local morning wet markets. For steak, it’s Costco for USDA prime.
No. Do not load up on deodorant -for Pete’s sake, this is Taiwan, do not buy into the ol tales. Yes, 20 years ago deodorant options were dismal, now, unless you live in the hills of Central Mountain range, you’re covered -and even so, there is a great postal system so you can buy your salary off on the Internet on whatever your heart desires.
Same with steaks. Yes, they can be expensive. Yes, most would not pass the test in our countrie sof origin. This is a Buddist mayority place, people do not like to eat their companion worker, ie the cow/water buffalo, and some feel the same way about it as you feel about eating dog/cat. However, as said, you can buy some resemblance of beef at any supemarket/wet market or just go to Costco or any other big hypermarket. If not, your choices for steak dinner range from 150 ntd to 700 ntd to 1500 ntd no 10000 ntd. Choose as per your capacity/hunger.
Cheese is either 150 to 300 ntd for 400 grams at any supermarket -quality varies, we have from France, Holland, Germany, Japan, etc or two kilos for 300 ntd at Costco -from US. Again, if you have the money, go ahead and buy imported gorgonzola. Parmesan is quite reasonable at Costco.
Food I recommend stick to organic, we have many stores. This is especially recommended with milk. Wet markets offer a smorgasboard of fruits and veggies. 100 ntd will fill a bag.
Taiwanese are very fond of Japanese brands and stuff. There are many Japanese pharmacies and food stuff places catering to this market. Awesome hair and makeup products, cleaning stuff, reasonable prices.
What to bring? Medication you are on or prefer, like Pepto Bismol or cold medicine, for the early months without National Helath Insurance. Condoms in proper sizes, yes. Shoes in your size if you are extra large person. Same with clothes. Everything else is found here.
Wow, that’s surprising. They really do have everything! 
Nope. They do not have real mayo. Lately, they changed their Kirkland mayo for vegan, EGG FREE glop. Yucky! 
Why?! oh, why!?
Personally, I buy the Italy imported toothpaste. Like 700 a pack. Availabel at traditional pharmacies.
They have a variety of western products available, but not everything you could possibly imagine.
One thing that Costco Taiwan doesn’t have is American milk and American cereal.
Well, I love E.L. Fudge cookies (a shortbread shaped elf cookie with fudge icing inside…yes, elf…as in Santa’s elf) but I suppose I could get by with TimTam if they have those in Taiwan. 
I’m not too concerned about brands…more curious about what I can find easily there. All of you have pretty much sold me on the awesomeness of food in Taiwan. 
I guess I should ask: does their deodorant have antiperspirant in it?
How did you get a food processor through customs? Wouldn’t it get confiscated due to it have a large sharp blade?
Really? 
Can I still get Kewpie mayo?
I thought I read somewhere on here that Costco carries California milk. 
Double post. Sorry. Delete, please.
They sell Kirkland brand California milk in Costco which is American.
They also sell lactose free milk which is either from US or Canada.
There are a lot of food procesors here, but if you already have one, bring it over. Kitchen Aid stuff is a bit pricey, definetively bring if you are into cooking. Howver, please note most cooking here is done by gas, not electric stove, and “real” ovens -turkey size- are rare and expensive. Most homes won’t come with anything bigger than a toaster. Why? Because gas is cheaper than electriity. Also, Chinese cooking favors quick stir fry.
Bring a CrockPot. Or even better, that new Instant Pot. Closest thing I’ve seen here is the Phillips model of the electric pressure cooker for 8000 ntd and a local version for almost 3000. I think in the States that stuff is cheaper, right? If not, fuggetabutit.
As to Japanese mayo, yes, that you can find… But they alsoi have smaller sizes -pricier though- of German, Danish, British and even US other brand mayos at supermarkets. It is just we were all used to buying the gallon sized one for a song.
Well…now they are only short…American cereal.
It’s probably best they don’t have it. Otherwise I would be snacking on Lucky Charms and we all know how healthy that cereal is.
Hmm…They used to have Kirkland mayo. Giant jar that I could never finish but it was just like Hellman’s.
…now replaced by vegan, no egg, two medium sized jars, same price.
I wonder what market reserach le dthem to the conclusion that vegan no egg mayo could susbtitute standard Kirkland fare. 
This is probably like other things. Just need to try and make it myself. How difficult could it be with a Cuisinart??