Living in Kaohsiung
What it really costs to live in Kaohsiung, what you can earn, the visas that get you in, and the taxes you'll pay — for Taiwan, updated 2026. Kaohsiung is the most affordable of the 3 Taiwan cities we track, so it can be a smarter base than the capital if budget matters. Kaohsiung lies in Eastern Asia. Taiwan's capital is Taipei. The main language is Mandarin Chinese. The currency is the Taiwan dollar.
Cost of Living in Kaohsiung
Full Monthly Breakdown for Kaohsiung
How Kaohsiung Compares to Other Taiwan Cities
Kaohsiung is not the only option in Taiwan. Here is how its single-person monthly cost (€8 839) stacks up against the other cities we track — Kaohsiung is the cheapest, Taipei the priciest.
| City | Single / month | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Taichung | €9 639/mo | +9% vs Kaohsiung |
| Taipei (capital) | €13 728/mo | +55% vs Kaohsiung |
What You Can Earn in Taiwan
Typical gross annual salaries in Taiwan by sector (entry · median · senior). Kaohsiung pay usually sits around the national median.
| Sector | Entry | Median | Senior |
|---|---|---|---|
| it | €33 500 | €48 000 | €67 000 |
| retail | €14 000 | €20 000 | €28 000 |
| finance | €36 500 | €52 000 | €73 000 |
| education | €22 500 | €32 000 | €45 000 |
| healthcare | €25 000 | €36 000 | €50 500 |
| engineering | €31 000 | €44 000 | €61 500 |
| hospitality | €15 500 | €22 000 | €31 000 |
| construction | €25 000 | €36 000 | €50 500 |
Living in Kaohsiung: Safety, Health & Climate
Kaohsiung shares Taiwan's wider quality-of-life profile. Kaohsiung has a subtropical climate. Here is what daily life looks like on the things that matter most when you relocate.
Visa Routes to Taiwan
Affording Kaohsiung is only half the question — you also need a visa that lets you stay in Taiwan. The main routes:
- A job offer is normally required for the main work route.
- Permanent residence after about 5 years.
- Citizenship after ~5 years.
Taxes in Taiwan
Top marginal rate 40%, VAT 5%.
Settling into Kaohsiung
- Foreigners can open a local bank account in Taiwan.
- Budget around €2 100 for first-month setup in Kaohsiung.
- Regulated professions needing credential recognition: Medicine, Dentistry, Law, Architecture, Engineering, Psychology.
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Personalised visa options, costs and a 90-day plan for Taiwan.
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How much does it cost to live in Kaohsiung?
A single person in central Kaohsiung should budget about €8 839/month, roughly €7 513 outside the centre. A family of four needs around €33 391/month.
Can I get a visa to live in Taiwan?
Yes — the main route usually needs a job offer, with permanent residence reachable in about 5 years. See the full Taiwan visa comparison for the route that fits you.
Sources: salaries, taxes, safety, healthcare and visa data from World Bank, OECD, the Global Peace Index and official government portals. Cost-of-living figures are community-sourced benchmarks — a guide, not a quote. Last reviewed 2026-05.
Related: Taiwan Guide · Visa Comparison · All Countries