Living expenses

This will be my last message from the U.K before I arrive in Taipei.

anyway, luts cut to the chase.

I have been offered a position in Taipei, and the salary (Which I won’t discuss) is pretty good. about 2.5 times what I earn in the U.K, plus no tax.

As part of the deal, I recieve a seperate local allowance, which is for housing,food,local travel and beer.

This figure is NT$60,000 per month.

Can I expect to get a decent 3-bed apartment and feed my 2 kiddiewinkles and wife, without dipping into my salary.

I have read this website and have a pretty good idea, but anybody’s feedback on what they pay and where they live would be good.

My job is in the downtown area. I’m happy to live 30-60 minutes away (I think).

I have a month in a hotel before I decide what to do, but I really want to choose the right place to live.

quote:
[b]As part of the deal, I recieve a seperate local allowance, which is for housing,food,local travel and beer.

This figure is NT$60,000 per month.[/b]


If your local allowance is that much, what’s your salary? at two and a half times your present one, your deal sounds like an absolute ripper. Looks like you, your wife and the rug rats will all be eating steak every night.

What kind of work is it?

You should buy a small valley in Tianmu, and don’t forget to buy a couple of police stations as well, just in case some kidnapper on the run decides to take you and your family hostage.

quote:
As part of the deal, I recieve a seperate local allowance, which is for housing,food,local travel and beer.

This figure is NT$60,000 per month.


Sounds like High Speed Railway. If the salary is similar too…

If you’re going to stay in Taipei city, I’d say that you have to dip into your salary. If you want a 3 bedroom apartment you’d probably have to pay between 25k to 50k monthly rent (even more in some areas. We have friends paying 70k for such a flat) depending on standard and where in the city you are. Adding general living expenses for a 4-person family, you will exceed your allowance.

If you stay further out from Taipei, you could get a decent flat that size for around 15k. We stayed east of Taipei City, in Hsichih, where we had 3 bedrooms and a big living room for that cost.

The location sucked, however. I really don’t think you want to live outside the reach of the MRT/tube. If you do, both you and your wife will probably wind up bored and feeling isolated and spend loads of money on taxi. I know we did. That’s why we’re smack dab in the middle of Taipei these days. Walking distance is the name of the game.

If you ask around, you could probably get good rents along the southern stretch of the MRT, an area I am not at all familiar with. There has to be people here on Oriented living around there that could give you a feel for rents in that direction.

I have a month in a hotel before I decide what to do, but I really want to choose the right place to live.

That’s good because finding a place (not necessarily the right one) takes long time. Most buildings are old (10-20 years) and the conditions and state of electrical appliances match that age.
However for 60k I think you have not problem to find a decent place, just contact some local real estate agents when you are here and start viewing the apartments on offer. You can pre-select by using photos and information provided from those agents. Tip: tell them your budget is only around NT$45000, then you can still increase; and they will propose you some units at a slightly higher rate anyhow (you can later bargain with the owner to lower it and perhaps match your final budget).

Note that car park and maintenance fee as well as tax are to be paid extra and hence are not included in the rental price.

A lot of foreigners like to stay in Tien Mou (northern part of Taipei city), a bit more quiet than the city center (I stay right in the middle of that mess) with all facilities on offer, e.g. restaurants, hypermarket & shoppping centers, MRT close by etc.

Taipei in general isn’t that cheap but I would think it’s less than London, it however depends on your salary. 2.5 of GBP700 isn’t that much, but if your salary is more than 1000 (x2.5) I think you have no problems to enjoy a nice living here.