Start-up costs for Hsinchu?

Taiwan Living in Taiwan
,
1

My boyfriend and I have recently accepted a teaching position at Stanford American Language Institution in Hsinchu. Our recruiter, Jenny, informed us yesterday that we will each need approximately $2000 USD for the first month of living expenses, to include the deposit on our apartment. Although I can budget that much if required, it seems awfully high. Can anyone provide a better estimate on how much we should budget for our initial month in the city? We plan to look for a simple 2-3 room apartment near Science Park and eat local cuisine.

Thanks for your help!

2

US $2000 per person might sound like a lot, but consider that you’d pay around NT$20,00 per month for a 2-3 room apartment near the Science Park. Also, most lanlords require a one month deposit and another two months rent in advance … and that’s NT$60,000 gone. That’s roughly US$2000.

3

Yep. You may need to consider more than that. Or, live farther from work and save almost half the rent.

4

Sounds like they are setting you up in a really nice place. Should be worth it.

5

good choice of hsinchu then, only place where the male to female ratio is like 9:1 and you have as much chance of getting the same attention as he.

[quote=“kardisa”]… and eat local cuisine. [/quote] :no-no: ??? they have local cuisine? Local food maybe, but I wouldnt describe it anything like cuisine.

2000 is a load of cash, but its better to be prepared, I moved out here with 200quid, but then again, I did teach summer camps and live in a 3 ping appartment to establish myself

6

Three ping is a closet!! Well, it would be if there were closets.

7

2000 USD * 2 = 4000 USD seems way too high for me.

I’m living on Guang Fu Road in Hsinchu just next to the Science Park (where the McDonalds + KFC are).
I pay 15000 a month for my 70m2 apartment (~450 USD).
My deposit was 15000 * 2 + paying the first month = 45000 (~1350 USD). So its far below your estimate.

The school you mention seems to be 4 times around Hsinchu and also in Zhubei.
Zhubei is more expensive cause its closer to the High Speed rail and all building complexes are new (and many of them empty). Maybe thats what Jenny is using for her estimates.

I suggest you look for a place to rent on your own.

Our monthly expenses are this (total for two persons):
35000 for food and household stuff (we love to eat out but don’t eat at street vendors or similar)
15000 rent
5000 bills (cellphone, DSL, gas, electricity, government insurances).
= 55000 = around 1500 USD total for two!

Hope you’ll like Hsinchu!

[quote=“kardisa”]My boyfriend and I have recently accepted a teaching position at Stanford American Language Institution in Hsinchu. Our recruiter, Jenny, informed us yesterday that we will each need approximately $2000 USD for the first month of living expenses, to include the deposit on our apartment. Although I can budget that much if required, it seems awfully high. Can anyone provide a better estimate on how much we should budget for our initial month in the city? We plan to look for a simple 2-3 room apartment near Science Park and eat local cuisine.

Thanks for your help![/quote]

8

I recommend you take a look at apartments using a rental/real estate office… and ideally take someone who is a local and has your best interests in mind.

I looked at 6 apartments in about three hours in Hsinchu about a week ago… I ended up getting a smaller place though very clean and modern, the deciding factor was the buildings location to a park for my dog and my place of employment.

Like I said it is small, I am still not used to ping… so in square feet, I would say 14x16 with a 2.5’x6’ closet, a 4’ long hallway that leads to the door, off of that hallway is the bathroom which is 8’x10’, so no kitchen, it is furnished with very nice built-in cabinets, refrigerator, 40" lcd, a bed with a new mattress, windows are ceiling to floor and I am on the 6th floor… I will be spending weekends in Taipei with my fiance, $8,500 a month, two months sec. deposit. We negotiated for free wi-fi and cable television. I am happy. I know that this is too cramped for many but I am looking at saving my money for a wedding and a house…

9

20,000NT for a 2-3 bedroom near science park, NO NO NO! You’ll spend 15,000NT max on a decent 2 bedroom near science park. Look at my reply to the thread Apartment Advice on this forum. Unless you plan on living in the latest luxury high rise apartment complex, there’s no reason to pay more than 15,000NT every month.

Listen I just looked at several apartments in Hsinchu no more than 2 weeks ago. We rented an apartment not far from downtown and less than a 10 minute scooter drive if you are working at the Stanford branch in the Science Park. Hsinchu is so small, don’t be afraid to venture out further from your place of work. When you get here it’ll seem huge and big because you don’t know the place, but after a few days driving around you’ll see how easy it is to get around the city. Driving anywhere in the city takes 15-20 minutes. Let me give you a run down of my monthly expenses.

2 bedroom 28 ping FURNISHED apartment (DSL/Cable free) - 14,000NT (2 month deposit 28,000NT)

Bills (Electricty, water, gas) - roughly 1000NT every month, we run the AC 1-2 hrs everyday, always run fans and computer.

Phone bill - I pay as I go, I’ll buy $1000 every 3-4 months roughly, my gf may spend 1000 every other month.

Food - I like food, I love to cook and eat out, I spend roughly $5000 a month on food because I love to eat at good places

Misc - (I spend about 2000Nt every month on junk, clothes, pirated video games, ect)

So if you live similar to me, lets take a look at what you two need your first month.

This is for 2 people:

42000 for rent/deposit
Your landlord should pay your first months utility bills because the people there before you used it.
2000 for a TW sim card and minutes
8,000 shopping at local grocery stores and eating local food.
Internet/Cable if not provided (maybe prepay for both? 6,000 for 6 months?)
3000 Misc furniture if you already have furnished apt (trash cans, towels, clothes hangers ect)

61,000NT = 1,858.03 USD

Divide that by 2: $929.03 USD per person

Bring 1200 each just to be safe, don’t listen to people saying $2000 per person isn’t enough, that’s just retarded. These are the same people who probably think 100NT for a small Taiwan beer at a pub is a good deal when they can go buy it at the grocery store for 25NT. The biggest start up cost is the 2 month deposit, but since you and your boyfriend are sharing it isnt that big of a deal. Your first month will be most expensive, after that it’ll be much cheaper once you get situated and have everything you need for your apartment.

-Valor

10

15,000 sounds right to me, I have looked at apts in Hsinchu recently and there are many decent ones (2-3 bdrms) available for this rent. I get the feeling prices have come down and many foreigners including Japanese have been retrenched and also the fact that many new places went up in Zhubei recently. Zhubei is a nice new planned area to the north but it is slightly pricier although there are also apts available for this price too.

Modern apts usually have a service fee (1200 mth approx) and pay for cable (600ntd/mth). Then you need to pay for ADSL (1000 mth approx) and other expenses. All told it’s pretty cheap compared to overseas.

For new people to Taiwan who won’t be driving a car you are better off looking at Hsinchu city itself probably…WenHua district (govt area at centre with nice parks) and along the riversides. You could also get a relatively new apt. near GuangFu Rd which has RT-Mart, Costco etc. but only 5-10 mins scooter ride from the science park

11

Good advice, valor.

Yes, that would be me. But, then I receive NT$3,000/day spending allowance from my company. :raspberry:

12

[quote=“Anubis”]Good advice, valor.

Yes, that would be me. But, then I receive NT$3,000/day spending allowance from my company. :raspberry:[/quote]

well thats my weekly spending money per day, how did you land such a sweet deal?

Wanna buy a poor forumosan a beer?

13

Call me a snob but I’m not sure what good places are available for $166/day?

14

This is excellent advice. We were planning to just look at places when we arrive with our broken Mandarin. However, it’s probably a better idea to see if one of his aunts or uncles (he’s Taiwanese-American) can come up from Nantou and help us find a place.

Thank you, everyone, for your comments.

15

Sounds about right. I’ve got around a 30-ping unfurnished place w/parking included for NT$16k/month, but finding a place with at least major furnishings (AC, Fridge, Bed, Sofa) shouldn’t be that much more.

[quote=“Shao Pung”]I recommend you take a look at apartments using a rental/real estate office… and ideally take someone who is a local and has your best interests in mind.
[/quote]
Only thing I’d add to this is do NOT deal with the places that ask for cash up front (usually presented as a “membership fee”) before showing you a place …there are plenty of good vacant apartments in Hsinchu available through the normal rental/real estate offices.

Also, another suggestion would be just to take a walk around the neighborhoods you’re interested in and ask the caretaker/security guard of whatever apartment complexes look good. Often times they know which of the apartments are for rent directly by the owner, and usually will contact them for you (and no fee involved for you or the landlord).

16

Yeah, definitely don’t go with an agency that will rob you blind; just spend a bit of money to stay in a hotel or something for the first week. Then, just ask the guards at buildings or communities where you’d like to live; they often have lists of owners wishing to rent out apartments or houses. You’ll save more than their cut by staying in a midrange hotel in the meantime. If you’re looking for an apartment near the science park, definitely don’t pay more than NT$18 000; 14-15 should be more along the average, unless it’s something super-deluxe. If you live right on Guangfu, you probably won’t get a lot of peace or quiet, ever.

US$2000 should be enough to get settled if you’re conservative, but if you can bring even $500 more, to set yourself up with a scooter, etc, it will be easier. If, as one other person pointed out, you’re willing to live further from your workplace, you’ll likely get a nicer place for less money.

17

Actually many agencies in Hsinchu require no fee from renter, as opposed to Taipei for example. Some require a fee but it is not major. It is an efficient way to find an apartment especially if you are unfamiliar with the area. Houses with furniture incl. usually run a bit higher…16-18k for a pretty decent place.

18

We tried an agency when we first got to Hsinchu, and they wanted $30000/month plus $90000 deposit for a two-bedroom, ground-floor flat. (Holland Village) It was a nice community, well-maintained, etc, but there were cockroaches everywhere. Aparently they were managing the property for the owner, and she did not get all of it. We were to pay all utilities, etc. I’m ashamed to admit we didn’t do our homework before moving in (in retrospect, we were downright stupid), but we bailed three months in, forfeiting our entire deposit. We pay less than half that for a four-storey house in Hsiangshan now It’s a bit of a commute, but we can see the sea and the mountains, and cockroaches are a rarity!