Is 35000NTD (£700) enough to live in Taipei for a month?

Taiwan Living in Taiwan
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1

Hi,

I plan to go to Taiwan in less than 2 years to learn chinese (I am saving money and I am learning traditional chinese at the moment). Right now, I trying to figure out how much it would cost me to live in Taipei for a year without working knowing that I live frugally with £700 in Edinburgh (Scotland). I did the math quickly and it looks like it is possible. However, I would like to have some feedbacks from people living in Taiwan. So my question is:

Do you think I can live in Taipei with 35000NTD per month (£700) for rent,food,bills,phone and transport? :slight_smile:

Thanks for you feedbacks.

Symbion

2

Yes, but it depends on rent. What are you thinking?

3

Just stay away from Daan or Xinyi district and it will be more than possible. Danshui is very cheap and the rent+MRT transportation will be cheaper than rent from any area in Taipei city. However time may be a factor…

4

Yes.

Rent NT$7000 (shared accommodation)
Electricity NT$1500
Gas NT$500
Water NT$300
Cable/internet NT$1200

Food NT$500 * 30 = 15000

Phone NT$1000
Transport
Bus NT$12 * 4 (which will get you all the way across town, like to Tienmu or something, and back) = NT$48 *30 = 1440
Scooter (Initial cost of NT$7000 to NT$50,000) and gas per week of NT$200-300 (if you’re scooting around town a fair amount. If you are only going short distances, this amount will be much less) = NT$900-1350

Comes to about NT$27940 (with utilities being around what I pay per month by myself, should be less if you have 3 roommates or something) for a fairly reasonable standard of living. If you are intending to study Chinese, there are many shared apartments around the Shida and NTU area for NT$7000-8000 a room. Look on tealit.com.
Other areas may be cheaper (NT$4000-5000 in Yonghe, Zhonghe), but for me personally, the distance and lack of convenience isn’t worth it. But by distance, Yonghe is maybe only a 20 minute bike ride further than the NTU area.

If you are living extremely frugally, cooking only at home, etc.
Rent NT$4500 (shared accommodation in more distant area)
Electricity NT$500
Gas NT$100
Water NT$100
Cable/internet NT$300

Food NT$100 * 30 = 3000

Phone NT$200 (only taking calls, not making them for the most part)
Transport
Bus NT$12 * 4 (which will get you all the way across town, like to Tienmu or something, and back) = NT$48 *30 = 1440
Scooter (Initial cost of NT$7000 to NT$50,000) and gas per week of NT$200-300 (if you’re scooting around town a fair amount. If you are only going short distances, this amount will be much less) = NT$900-1350
Cycling (totally doable, initial cost of NT$1000-3000 or so for an okay bike) = NT$0
Or walking = NT$0

Comes to NT$8500 plus whatever method of transportation you choose. But that’s living very frugally, with little or no recreational activities outside of the internet, and selecting your groceries carefully/cooking at home most of the time.

Cost of living will not differ too much depending on where you live, amounting to only about NT$2000-5000 of a difference, as the only main static cost that will change is rent. If you choose not to live in Taipei City (instead in Taichung, Tainan, etc.), you will probably be able to live on your own for similar costs if you are not too picky about the conditions of your living quarters (older apartments), but you would also have to bear the full burden of utility costs.

5

I also think the food bill can be much lower. You have these “buffet”-type places where you can pick dishes and they work out how much you pay at the counter. These lunch and dinner boxes are only about NT$50 to NT$80.
I get lunch at work so I only spend about NT$90 a day on food. If I still had to get my own lunch, that would be about NT$140, and that is without having to go through the torture (for me) of cooking at home. :slight_smile:

6

Yes, it’ll be possible, but just be warned that any going out and drinking will blow your budget. (Nothing in your post suggests drinking is on the agenda, but it’s the financial bane of many a young newcomer to Taiwan.)

You’ll find, oddly enough, that eating out will probably be cheaper than cooking at home, unless you want to subsist on rice and boiled cabbage.

7

[quote=“lostinasia”]Yes, it’ll be possible, but just be warned that any going out and drinking will blow your budget. (Nothing in your post suggests drinking is on the agenda, but it’s the financial bane of many a young newcomer to Taiwan.)

You’ll find, oddly enough, that eating out will probably be cheaper than cooking at home, unless you want to subsist on rice and boiled cabbage.[/quote]

I cook at home relatively cheaply and it’s also very good/easy (for me).

A package of decent meat costs 60-100NT (enough for 2-3 meals)
rice/pasta/potato portion - 10-20NT
vegetables on the side - 20-50NT

Overall about 60-120NT/meal and I get much better meat than the buffets and it has my preference for spices. And I can control how much oil/salt is added.

8

I cook at home relatively cheaply and it’s also very good/easy (for me).

A package of decent meat costs 60-100NT (enough for 2-3 meals)
rice/pasta/potato portion - 10-20NT
vegetables on the side - 20-50NT

Overall about 60-120NT/meal and I get much better meat than the buffets and it has my preference for spices. And I can control how much oil/salt is added.[/quote]
Oh, no doubt that eating at home is going to give you better food, but 60-120NT can easily pay for many meals in Taiwan. My point is that eating at home isn’t necessarily going to save you money (especially if you’re dumb like me and keep buying pricy imported ingredients). Throughout most of North America and Europe, eating in = saving money, but that’s not really the case in Taiwan.

Anyway, main point to the OP is that cheap living in Taiwan doesn’t mean cooking your own food.

9

[quote=“lostinasia”]
Oh, no doubt that eating at home is going to give you better food, but 60-120NT can easily pay for many meals in Taiwan. My point is that eating at home isn’t necessarily going to save you money (especially if you’re dumb like me and keep buying pricy imported ingredients). Throughout most of North America and Europe, eating in = saving money, but that’s not really the case in Taiwan.

Anyway, main point to the OP is that cheap living in Taiwan doesn’t mean cooking your own food.[/quote]

Typically I’m nearer 60Nt/meal so this about equal to most cheap meals in Taiwan unless you’re going real cheap. I’m just saying that it’s not that expensive to cook at home as some like to say. The only hard part is doing dishes and waiting 30 minutes while your food is cooking.

10

Thanks for all the feedback.

I plan to live in Banciao city (Taipei County) as it is where my girlfriend lives but plan to live on my own at first.

What is wrong with those districts ?

[quote=“lostinasia”]Yes, it’ll be possible, but just be warned that any going out and drinking will blow your budget. (Nothing in your post suggests drinking is on the agenda, but it’s the financial bane of many a young newcomer to Taiwan.)

You’ll find, oddly enough, that eating out will probably be cheaper than cooking at home, unless you want to subsist on rice and boiled cabbage.[/quote]

I don’t drink, even in Scotland :slight_smile: and I don’t hit bars often.

I will try to not rely on western food to live as I live on rice and vegetables/meat (all cooked in a rice cooker). I am slowly getting into the full chinese diet. So I think it will be cheaper or cost me the same for an equivalent or better food I suppose.

[quote=“lupillus”]Yes.

Not so frugal lifestyle:
Rent NT$7000 (shared accommodation)
Electricity NT$1500
Gas NT$500
Water NT$300
Cable/internet NT$1200
Food NT$500 * 30 = 15000
Phone NT$1000

Total : NT$27000

Very frugal lifestyle:
If you are living extremely frugally, cooking only at home, etc.
Rent NT$4500 (shared accommodation in more distant area)
Electricity NT$500
Gas NT$100
Water NT$100
Cable/internet NT$300
Food NT$100 * 30 = 3000
Phone NT$200 (only taking calls, not making them for the most part)
Transport
Bus NT$12 * 4 (which will get you all the way across town, like to Tianmu or something, and back) = NT$48 *30 = 1440
Scooter (Initial cost of NT$7000 to NT$50,000) and gas per week of NT$200-300 (if you’re scooting around town a fair amount. If you are only going short distances, this amount will be much less) = NT$900-1350
Cycling (totally doable, initial cost of NT$1000-3000 or so for an okay bike) = NT$0
Or walking = NT$0
Comes to NT$8500 plus whatever method of transportation you choose. But that’s living very frugally, with little or no recreational activities outside of the internet, and selecting your groceries carefully/cooking at home most of the time.

Total = 8000-10000NT$

Cost of living will not differ too much depending on where you live, amounting to only about NT$2000-5000 of a difference, as the only main static cost that will change is rent. If you choose not to live in Taipei City (instead in Taichung, Tainan, etc.), you will probably be able to live on your own for similar costs if you are not too picky about the conditions of your living quarters (older apartments), but you would also have to bear the full burden of utility costs.[/quote]

I am not very picky about living quarters. So I think I would have a lifestyle between those two hence living costs between 10000-30000NT$. I will plan for NT$30000/month in case something bad happen.

I will go in February 2011 to visit my girlfriend. Therefore, I will have a quick look at how much I would really spend (especially on food) based on my visit and your feedbacks.

Thanks !

11

[quote=“symbion”]Thanks for all the feedback.

I plan to live in Banciao city (Taipei County) as it is where my girlfriend lives but plan to live on my own at first. [/quote]
Banqiao is a relatively cheap place to live.

Will you live with your girlfriend at all during your sojourn here? Does she have her own place? (Most unmarried women here live with their folks. This means lots less freedom.)

What is wrong with those districts ?[/quote]
High-rent downtown neighborhoods. Will break your budget.

That’ll save you a mint.

12

[quote=“Chris”][quote=“symbion”]Thanks for all the feedback.
Will you live with your girlfriend at all during your sojourn here? Does she have her own place? (Most unmarried women here live with their folks. This means lots less freedom.)
[/quote]
[/quote]

I apologize for my (extremely) late response.

Yes, I will be living with her. I am simply planing my budget as if I am not going to live with her (hence the “with rent budget planning”). She has a her own place and her parents live in 金們。They visit her once every 2 months. So I should be alright.

I don’t know if time is a factor yet.

13

Sounds very good… if 金們 is supposed to mean Kinmen (金門), then that’s a nice little island for visiting… and having a GF with own apartment is great in my experience :slight_smile: Enjoy your time here!

14

[quote=“olm”]
Sounds very good… if 金們 is supposed to mean Kinmen (Jinmen) (金門), then that’s a nice little island for visiting… and having a GF with own apartment is great in my experience :slight_smile: Enjoy your time here![/quote]

Yes, I meant 金們, the little island on the south of Fujian province. I will go to 金門 for Chinese New Year.

Thanks olm.