Numbeo 2026 East Asia Cost of Living Rankings Announced: Hong Kong Remains Most Expensive, Taipei Ranked Third, Slightly Higher than Tokyo, New Taipei City Fifth, Taichung Sixth. Taiwan’s rent is relatively affordable, but purchasing power is lower than Japan and South Korea, reflecting that wage competitiveness still needs improvement.
(Previous summary: Taiwan speeds into “Super-Aging Society” twice as fast as Japan! Healthcare burden increases, labor shortages in companies… Population crisis emerging)
(Additional background: US finalizes tariff reduction to 15% for Taiwan, TSMC invests trillions to build five more US factories)

Table of Contents

• In-Depth Analysis of Taiwanese Cities
  • Taipei: Asia’s third most expensive, cost of living slightly higher than Tokyo
  • New Taipei City: Cost of living about 7% lower than Taipei
  • Taichung: Central metropolitan area with moderate living costs
  • Taiwan vs Japan: Whose cost of living is higher?
  • Seoul’s groceries most expensive, Hong Kong dominates rent
  • Chinese cities generally lower, but purchasing power performs well

Internationally renowned price comparison platform Numbeo recently released the 2026 Asia city cost of living index rankings. This article focuses on East Asia for further analysis.

First, Hong Kong ranks as the most expensive city in Asia with a cost of living index of 75.2, while Taiwan has three cities—Taipei, New Taipei City, and Taichung—ranking in the top ten, indicating that major metropolitan areas in Taiwan also have relatively high living costs in the Asian region.

East Asia City Cost of Living Index Rankings

About the Numbeo Index:

In-Depth Analysis of Taiwanese Cities

Taipei: Asia’s third most expensive, cost of living slightly higher than Tokyo

Taipei ranks third in Asia with a cost of living index of 54.7, just behind Hong Kong and Seoul, and slightly above Tokyo’s 54.2. Notably, Taipei’s rent index is 19.6, much lower than Hong Kong’s 63.1 and Tokyo’s 25.8, indicating that Taipei’s high living costs mainly stem from daily expenses rather than housing.

In terms of groceries, Taipei scores 67.6, ranking third among the top ten cities, behind Seoul (81.4) and Hong Kong (75.1), reflecting relatively high spending on daily shopping for residents.

New Taipei City: Cost of living about 7% lower than Taipei

New Taipei City has a cost of living index of 51.1, ranking fifth, about 7% lower than Taipei. Its rent index is 17.4, more affordable than Taipei’s 19.6, and restaurant prices index is 25.5, lower than Taipei’s 36.1, indicating significantly lower dining-out costs.

However, New Taipei City’s local purchasing power index is only 75.0, the lowest among the top ten cities, reflecting limited real purchasing power for residents.

Taichung: Central metropolitan area with moderate living costs

Taichung’s cost of living index is 47.6, ranking sixth, the lowest among Taiwan’s three listed cities. Its rent index is 12.5, the lowest among the top ten cities, making it an important reference for those considering moving to central Taiwan.

Additionally, Taichung’s local purchasing power index reaches 88.4, higher than Taipei (81.5) and New Taipei City (75.0), indicating residents enjoy relatively higher buying power.

Taiwan vs Japan: Whose cost of living is higher?

Many Taiwanese aspire to live in Japan, but data shows Taipei’s cost of living index (54.7) is actually slightly higher than Tokyo’s (54.2). However, Tokyo’s rent index (25.8) is significantly higher than Taipei’s (19.6), and its local purchasing power index (117.8) far exceeds Taipei’s (81.5), indicating that Japanese workers’ real income and purchasing power remain superior to Taiwan.

Osaka’s cost of living index is 43.5, lower than Taiwan’s three major cities, and its local purchasing power index is as high as 125.9. For Taiwanese considering overseas development, Japan’s quality of life may be more competitive than expected.

Seoul’s groceries most expensive, Hong Kong dominates rent

Data shows Seoul’s groceries index reaches 81.4, the highest among Asian cities, with ongoing concerns over food prices in Korea. However, Seoul’s local purchasing power index is 130.0, the highest on the list, indicating Korean wages support high living costs.

Hong Kong continues to lead in rent with an index of 63.1, more than twice Tokyo’s 25.8, making housing the biggest living expense and pressure point in Hong Kong.

Chinese cities generally lower, but purchasing power performs well

Living costs in top Chinese cities like Shanghai, Beijing, and Shenzhen are all below 40, far lower than major Taiwanese cities. However, their local purchasing power indices range from 93 to 109, higher than Taipei and New Taipei City, reflecting improving wage competitiveness in China’s first-tier cities.