My Company is asking me to consider making a move for 1 to 2 years, and be based out of Hsinchu. As they will be offering me a package soon, I wanted to know what a 1/2 Bedroom furnished Apt, say on the mid/high to high end would cost per month. Also If I choose not to get a car, is transportation IE: taxi service, reasonable cost, and user friendly for English speaking “only” types. Thanks for any input
A mid to high end 1-2 bedroom apartment, furnished, could range between NT$30,000 and NT50,000 per month, even more if you really want to go upmarket. It really depends on what you want, and what your allowance from your company is. I know quite a lot of foreign engineers here in the Science Park who get quite big housing subsidies from their companies… around NT50,000 per month. I say ‘big’ because many people in Taiwan don’t even earn that amount per month! So many of them have apartments in “Holland Village” and the likes at about NT25,000 - NT 30,000 per month and the remainder of the subsidy is spending money. In addition, some of them even receive a daily allowance of about NT3,000 for taxi, food, etc. Many of them don’t even touch their salaries! Good life, eh? Oh, the average cost of a taxi from “Holland Village” to the Science Park is about NT200, depending on the traffic.
I personally prefer something more rural so I live, very contently, out in the mountains in the Judong area. I drive to work meself, about 30 minutes each way, but then I have a big house, a garden, fresh air, no traffic… almost like back home… and my rent is only about NT10,000 per month. So I guess it’s all about what one needs and preferences are.
Hsinchu is not as ‘user-friendly’ as Taipei when it comes to public transportation. No MRT, not as many bus routes, etc. However, it’s not necessarily a problem. I’ve been using the same taxi driver (he speaks English) for years now to take me to work, the shops, the pub, the airport, to The Tavern in Taipei, etc.
Hsinchu is great once you’ve find your feet and know where to go.
Let us know when you’ve arrived and I’ll take you for a tour of the town.
Stanley in Hsinchu 
sdman36
I am in a similar situation to you. I would suggest you look in Jubei as well. Just across the river from the Science Park. It is all high rise 15 stories or so new buildings. Yes a furnished 2-3 bedrooms is about 40K$. I would suggest 3 bedrooms if you are from the states just for the space and maye two bathrooms. I use the small bedroom for study of chinese and my computer as well as a place to park my bicycle.
Even if you have a taxi you do need some transport just to get around whether bike or scooter. I bike everyday to work about 10km each way. Just make sure there is a place to get cleaned up at work since you will arrive drenched in sweat.