Steps for moving to Taiwan, renting apartment, getting bank account

I think it’s been a while since y’all looked at apartments :joy:

I’ve changed my requirement from a 1 bedroom to a 2, so I have space for random things, luggage, etc

Also, more than a 6-7 minute walk to an MRT is too much.

When you look at stuff in the 30k range, you’re talking little <15 ping places like these

Most places at 60k are decent, but don’t necessarily have a functional layout or quality furnishings. And I haven’t seen any with a pool or anything.

Example of horrible layouts, which I see a lot of:

That’s 60,000
(Anything around Daan park is also crazy high)

This one is 65,000 (+6000 mgmt fee) and the two “bedrooms” are tiny af

I’ve seen a few I’m interested in but when I message them on Line, and ask in Chinese if they speak English, they just never respond. Then another I really liked, but the agent said the landlord isn’t responding, even tho they have 5 different similar units to rent out.

Ok, first of all:

8000 in Taipei is cheap, very low price. Of course that does not do.

But for 60k you can have a 4 bedroom with parking space in a new building with swimming pool in Tianmu.

Please for the love of God do not even think of 60k for a one bedroom unless it is like your neighbor is Guo Tai-ming!

I also do not understand the 5 minute walk off the MRT. Look, most MRT are on the main road. You do not want a home on the main road. You think hearing neighbors is bad? Think about traffic on the main road 24/7. And no, no double panel glass can save you.

We lived around Daan Park when we arrived here. Newbie mistake. Looks nice on paper. Most buildings are old and dark and horribly expensive.

You want an alley behind those buildings. Might still be expensive but a lot more quiet.

And yes, no one will respond in Chinese.

Have a look in Google Maps to the satellite view of that last 71k apartment and then let me know if you like the area.

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oh whoops, I linked the wrong ones. Yeah those are super cheap, 8k lol. It didn’t apply the filter I gave it.

Tianmu is out of the center center tho. I’d like anywhere between Zhongshan and Xinyi Anhe.

I get your point tho – Tianmu is one of the most expensive areas of town, no? – and I dunno where these ultra-nice large apartments for 60k are haha

Oh for sure. Every place I’ve stayed in in Taipei is just a few mins walk to MRT and always a couple streets over from the main road. Actually, a couple were on the main road (eg right across from Main Station) but traffic noise was no problem.

I’m confused lol. Why wouldn’t they respond in/to Chinese?
Usually I’d send one message asking if they spoke English (in Chinese), and then second sentence is in English saying I’m interested in the apartment.

I’ve actually stayed in that area before and like it OK, I just prefer red line.

I’ve spent hours and hours looking through 591, zuyou.com.tw, urhouse.com.tw, and FB groups. Maybe I’m just picky :x

not anymore…3 bedroom no parking no pool are at 50K in tianmu proper. 60K for 4Bedrooms is way way up section 7.

Hi @kurupted - I (haphazardly) found many similar Airbnb rentals similar to the ones you linked above but at half those prices. Difference seems to be the ones you selected you can rent on a daily price. I found properties that have a “20 day minimum”. Seem to be cheaper that way. I am not sure how I searched. I think it was because I only searched for “Super Hosts” or something similar. In this case those hosts seem to have top locations and properties but will only deal with long term renters but will provide the discount.

Can’t confirm its all as expected until I get there :grinning:

Yeah, for Airbnb, you’ll definitely find more if you search monthly rentals. I think why is they’re a bit more legal if they do monthly.

2.a. Get a place for at least a few weeks temporarily until you find out where you want to live, or your friends might be located, where you want to spend your time, which has the better location and public transportation access, all that.

It’s really depressing reading a thread like this. Seems like finding a good apartment should not be a big deal, but in reality it is. Compared to Singapore, Taiwan just seems like a third world country.

Taipei housing is more expensive than Singapore. Try finding a 2 bedroom in a new high rise condo in both countries and you’ll see the difference. Singapore will cost around 1.5m SGD for a new high rise with great amenities. For 3300萬 it’s hard to find a 2 bedroom new condo in Taipei, it will cost you about 50% more.

Taipei is also 1/3 the land of singapore with half the population.

Greater Taipei, on the other hand has a lot more options for affordable housing.

And unlike many people working in Singapore, you don’t have to show your passport to go to work.

That’s HDB right? While great for low and middle class, HDB is a strongly depreciating asset. Private ownership prices are 2-3 times higher.

Question: why? Honestly. Why do you need to live in the “center”? Define center. Center of nightlife? Business?

There is no single downtown in Taipei, but hubs and areas for x and y. That’s why I am asking.

Ok, you like red line. That’s Zhongshan, Tianmu, up to Tamsui.

Come and try the feel. Check and recheck. Just don’t overpay.

Picky is good. I went through 8 places until I found mine. Now they won’t get me out unless it is feet first.

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Next to the monkeys and the water buffalos, what’s not to love?

Yeah, one thing about Taipei is most areas are nice and you have things in reach wherever. But, most events and social things are going to be closer to the “center”. You also get easier access to a wider area – in various directions – by being in the center, where you can hop onto red, blue, orange, whatever. The Shilin-to-Tamsui corridor gives you just that corridor, with anything else being a trek.

Re: SIM Card purchase at the airport.

Found this fantastic guide that list available SIM cards at the airport in Taipei. Includes even a hand-written map!

One thing that struck me was that it seems the airport SIM cards cannot be topped up except for the Taiwan mobile ones. This is important for me since I wanted to get a SIM card to give out my number. I dont want to have to give everyone a new number a few weeks later. Prices seem reasonable so I’m fine with the Taiwan mobile SIM from the airport.

So, Taiwan mobile SIM from the airport upon arrival is my current plan…until it changes :rofl:

That depends on what events you are planning to attend and where your social circle is.

I live in the middle of Xinyi, but also spend a lot of time up in Tienmu and Neihu, so that’s a lot of travel time.

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To be honest with you, i still enjoy all those things even though I am in Danshui. Hell. Even adding in the taxi costs for late night events, clubs, drinking; my mortgage is cheaper than living there.

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Median resale prices have gone up 50% from 2007 to 2021. https://www.hdb.gov.sg/-/media/doc/EAPG-CSC/2021_RPI_Pastmedianresale.ashx

Strongly depreciating asset? I think not. Singaporeans complain a LOT about how expensive HDB prices are. In August of this year, 33 HDB flats sold for above a MILLION dollars. HDB resale prices rise for 26th straight month in August; 33 million-dollar flats sold. The first HDB to fetch a million dollars was sold in July 2012 and it turned a lot of heads when it happened.

The house-hunting in HK for you would be a nightmare. It’s a daunting experience, got 2 lemons before finally finding a SUPERB place with an incredible price, but took months of exploration in the dirtiest agencies (the smaller the better, since they take less commission than big ones, so many landlords go to them).

Now it changed a bit given the situation, but still finding studios-1bed flats in decent conditions with serviceable bathrooms and a usable kitchens in places where it doesn’t take 1 hr of commute to go to the Island (I’m assuming being a foreigner you would work there, max TST area in Kowloon) is a challenge. Even by paying tons of money.

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