Cost of Travel in Taiwan | 2024 Budget Breakdown

Traveling to Taiwan and curious about how much it’s going to cost? In this post, I’ll share with you the full cost breakdown of traveling around Taiwan, plus extra info on their currency and other important tips and tricks.

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Almost every traveler I know that comes to Taiwan is shocked by how amazing this country is and that most people don’t think to visit.

It’s rich in culture, has unique and delicious cuisine, and jaw-dropping scenery everywhere you go.

Once you’ve made the plans to go (or maybe you’re better at planning than me and look at this before you make the decision to go), you’re probably wondering how much does it cost to travel in Taiwan?

Most people assume it’s a cheap country like others in Southeast Asia. But I was surprised to find that, at times, the cost of travel in Taiwan was just as high as the US or Europe.

I wish I’d had a more accurate idea of how much I would’ve spent and on what, before coming here.

So I created this post for anyone traveling to Taiwan for any length of time so you can know how much you will spend (and on what) when visiting this fun little island.

Whether you’re traveling for a couple of days or a few weeks, here is the full cost breakdown for traveling in Taiwan:

Cost of Travel in Taiwan | Currency

When visiting Taiwan, the currency is called NTD (New Taiwan Dollar) or TWD (Taiwan Dollar). For every $30 NTD you get $1 USD, give or take. In conversation, you’ll hear people say NTD compared to TWD.

There are three bills – $100 (pink), $500 (yellow), and $1000 (blue). If you’re lucky, you’ll find a $200 bill (green) and if you’re super lucky a $2000 bill (purple).

There are five coins – 1¢, 5¢, 10¢, 20¢, and 50¢. You can actually buy many things using just coins (such as snacks at 711, public transportation tickets, etc.), so I’d hold onto them for those types of purchases.

Accommodation

Starting with the most expensive, we’ve got accommodation. I was so surprised the first time I checked the different kinds of accommodation.

I was expecting Southeast Asian prices, but what I found were European prices – with Taipei being the most expensive out of all the cities.

I later realized Taiwan is a small island and real estate is expensive, especially in Taipei! This explains the higher prices compared to nearby countries.

Let’s dive into it:

• hostels: $12 – $30 USD/night
  average $20/USD night
  
• hotels: $36 – $80+ USD/night
  average $60/USD night
  
• airbnbs:
  -shared room: $14 – $35 USD/night
  average $20 USD/night
  -room to yourself: $23 – $93 USD/night
  average $30 USD/night
  -entire place to yourself: $40 – $104 USD/night
  average $65 USD/night

I’ve used hostelworld for ten years now and I still think they’re the best for booking hostels.

I like booking.com‘s reward program so I will typically use them for hotels. And of course, I use the Airbnb website for airbnbs.

I’ve personally never done couchsurfing for safety concerns, but of all of the countries in world, I think it should be okay in Taiwan.

It’s typically a very safe country, but you never know. Always make sure you check the host’s couchsurfing reviews and if anything feels off to you, trust your gut.

Transportation

All across Taiwan, public transportation is very affordable.

Taipei is the most convenient offering the MRT (metro), buses, Youbike, taxis, and ubers. Outside of Taipei, all other cities have buses, city bikes, taxis, and ubers.

The one exception being Taichung – it also has a newly built MRT, but compared to Taipei it’s quite small.

For travel between cities you can choose between the High Speed Rail, Taiwan Railway, buses, and even renting a car; all have pros and cons to them – so let’s get into it:

MRT

In both Taipei and Taichung, the tickets start at $20 NTD and it will increase by $5 NTD after every 4-5 stops. The ticket price peaks at $50 NTD for Taichung and $60 NTD for Taipei – going from one end of a line to another.

I highly recommend using the MRT when in Taipei because it’s clean, efficient, and safe.

The easiest way to pay for a ticket is to get an EasyCard from the ticket counter, airport upon arrival, or any convenient store.

The cost is $100 NTD (or roughly $3 USD) and you can put any amount of NTD on it.

For one week of travel within Taipei including a day trip or two, I would add 800 NTD to it. If you’re going to use it for transportation to and from the airport then I’d add an extra 300 NTD to it.

If you’re worried there might be a little extra NTD leftover on it for your trip, you can use it to buy anything from convenient stores, too.

If you’re staying in northern Taiwan for three weeks or longer, consider getting the brand new TPASS instead of the EasyCard.

This costs $1,200 NTD (roughly $40 USD) and includes the MRT, city buses, long-distance buses, the Taiwan Railway (TRA) and Youbike for an entire month (it doesn’t include the Taoyuan Airport MRT).

If you’re planning on moving around a lot in northern Taiwan, it could save you money in the end.

However, if you plan on going to other cities in central or southern Taiwan, then sticking to the EasyCard is probably best.

Bus

I have a love-hate relationships with the buses here. The drivers can be a little wild, but because they’re so large they have the right-of-way on the road.

If you’re traveling within the city, you just pay $15 NTD for a ride.

If you’re going more north into the mountains or Yangmingshan, then I’ve paid up to $40 NTD.

Again, the easiest way to pay is to use your EasyCard or TPASS, but you can easily go to the front of the bus and pop in coins into the clear box next to the bus driver.

Taiwan Bus Etiquette:

When you’re hailing a bus, you need to put your arm out and the bus driver will know you want it to stop.

When you’re on the bus and want to get off, you will see small buttons along the walls as well as on some poles labeled stop; press one and the driver will stop at the next bus stop.

If you don’t stick your arm out while the bus approaches you or press the button as the bus is approaching the stop, the bus driver will skip the stop.

Friendly tip: be ready to hop off the bus before the bus driver reaches the stop and opens the doors.

They move fast so if you don’t, you might not make it off the bus in time.

YouBike

There are different city bikes in different cities. For example, YouBike in Taipei and TBike in Tainan.

All bike stations only accept an EasyCard or credit card as payment and you don’t need to register again when visiting a new city.

The cost is $10 NTD every thirty minutes, after that it goes up to $20 NTD/30 minutes, and past eight hours the cost is $40 NTD/30 minutes.

Keep in mind you will need a local Taiwanese phone number to register for them, you can get a SIM card at the airport – I recommend Chughwa Telecom.

Taxis

During the day, the base price is $70 NTD (about $2.16 USD) and from 11pm to 6am the base price is $90 NTD ($2.78 USD), both fares go up $5 NTD (15¢ USD) every 250 meters after the first 1.25 km.

If you’re traveling during the Lunar New Year, you’ll be charged a $90 NTD base fare with a $20 NTD fee for gratuity during the day and you’ll be charged more for night time fares with a $40 NTD gratuity.

Uber

Uber is typically more expensive than taxis, but still quite affordable.

The average cost of an uber within Taipei City is around $130 – $390 NTD ($4 – $12 USD) depending on the time of day and how far you’re going.

Renting A Car

If you’re traveling around the north coast of Taiwan, renting a car will make it a lot easier to see all of the sights.

Beyond that, it’s a great way to see all of the island if you want to drive further than the northern coast and Taipei.

First, you will need to have an international drivers license, they are quite strict about that so I wouldn’t risk trying with your regular drivers license.

Americans: find your nearest AAA, bring two passport photos, your state license, and $20 bucks and you got yourself an international drivers license.

There are multiple ways to rent a car. You can book with Avis or Hertz, but these are usually $2500-3000 NTD/day and higher.

I recommend renting a car through Klook, their prices are more affordable starting around $1,600/day (roughly $50 USD) with insurance.

Don’t forget to get insurance. The drivers in Taiwan tend to not follow all of the rules of the road and crashes between cars and scooters are not uncommon, unfortunately.

I rented a car from a very local rental company (they don’t even have a location on google maps) and they offer the lowest prices you can find.

One my friends’ Taiwanese girlfriend found this place and super last minute, during the Lunar New year, this rental car company got me a car at half the price of all the other car rental companies.

If you are interested in renting a car from them, feel free to shoot me an email and I’ll give you all the details!

High Speed Rail

The HSR is a fun experience you can do if you’re traveling south of Taipei. As of right now, it’s only offered on the west coast.

It’s my favorite mode of transportation in Taiwan when traveling to Taichung, Chiayi, Tainan, and Kaohsiung – plus it’s super easy to get a ticket online or on their app.

These are pricier, the most expensive round-trip ticket being Taipei (Nangang) to Kaohsiung (Zuoying) at $3,060 NTD ($94.50 USD). They do offer early bird discounts as well as student discounts.

If that is too expensive for your budget, you can still take a bus or the Taiwan Railway – it’s just a little slower.

Taiwan Railway

If you’re wanting to make your way down the east coast to Hualien, Taroko Gorge, and/or Taitung, the TRA is the best way.

Prices here fluctuate depending on the time of day, type of train, and how far southeast you plan on going.

The range is from $300 – $800 NTD ($10 – $24.69 USD) for a one way ticket.

You can check the schedule here, but I recommend using your EasyCard to pay for the train rather than buying the ticket online.

The website is a bit old school so here are instructions if you can’t figure it out yourself:

1. Scroll down and type Taipei for departure station or click the three lines and click Taipei City → scroll down → Taipei
2. For arrival station type where you’d like to go or click the three lines and choose which county & station you’d like to go
3. Click whichever day you would like to leave
4. Click Inquiry.

a. If there is no direct train, it’s likely to say no data found – don’t worry, we’ll fix that
b. If there are direct lines, scroll down to see the available times and trains

5. Under the departure and arrival station is Conditions of Transfer click Accept Transfer
6. Double check the Train type selected is All and the Inquiry method is regular car
7. Click Inquiry
8. Scroll down to see the available times and trains
9. If you hover your mouse over the train schedule, another box will drop down to give you the detailed information
10. I recommend using your EasyCard for tickets the day of, but if you wish you can purchase your tickets on the website

Hitchhiking

Believe it or not, I know many people who have hitchhiked all around Taiwan.

Men and women, foreigners and locals. So, if this is something you’re thinking of doing – it will most likely be quite safe. Even if you can’t speak Mandarin, the locals will do their best to help you.

Food + Drinks

Ooo I cannot wait for you to try the food in Taiwan! They have such unique flavors and dishes – I absolutely love all of them.

If you’re eating authentic food from local shops, you’re looking at spending anywhere from $30 NTD – $150 NTD for an entire meal.

If you’re eating foreign food (such as Japanese and Korean) that will set you back at around $150+ NTD for a meal.

If you’re eating Indian, European, or American food you’ll be looking at spending around $300 and up for a dish.

If you stick to local food and shops, you’ll most likely spend a maximum of $300 NTD/day (about $9.25 USD) for all of your food and non-alcoholic drinks.

Alcohol in Taiwan is heavily taxed which means it’s pricey, unless you’re going to 711 and drinking their Taiwan Beer (which you absolutely should try at least once).

Other than that, when going out to a bar or club you will be spending at least $200+ NTD for one beer and $300+ for a cocktail, so this cost can really add up if you enjoy an adult beverage (or two) like me and my friends.

Want to know the best places to eat and drink in Taipei? I cover all of that here – The Ultimate Taipei Itinerary | 5 Incredible Days (2023) ♥

Activities

This one will differ vastly from person to person, but if you’re like me, you like to brush up on some history, learn about the culture, experience the outdoors, dance a little, walk around the cities and towns, and maybe stumble upon a cute trinket store.

Here are some average costs in NTD for various activities within Taiwan:

• Museum prices: $30 – $350
• Taipei 101: $600+
• Hot Springs: free – $1000+
• Temples: free
• Hikes: free
• Various tours: $1000 – $2500
• Gym: $1 – $1.5 /minute
• Cover charges (night clubs): $300 – $700
• KTV: $500 – $800+

Most activities and places that many tourists go to such as Sun Moon Lake as well as National Parks (like Taroko Gorge) are all free to enter.

So most of your costs will be transportation, accommodation, and things you do within the cities.

3 Estimated Daily Budgets

Here is a list of three different styles of traveling with a range of how much you will spend per day in NTD.

If you’re spending most of your time in Taipei, you will most likely be on the higher end of each range.

If you’re spending your time in other cities, you’ll most likely be on the lower end.

Backpacker:

• Accommodation: $550 – $745
• Transportation: $50 – $200
• Food: $200 – $300
• Drinks: $70 – $500
• Activities: $0 – $500
• Daily Total: $870 – $2,245 ($26.84 – $69.25 USD)

Mid-Range:

• Accommodation: $1296 – $2269
• Transportation: $150 – $500
• Food: $300 – $900
• Drinks: $300 – $1000
• Activities: $0 – $1000
• Daily Total: $2046 – $5669 (63.11 – 174.87 USD)

Luxury:

• Accommodation:$2593 – $3890
• Transportation: $400 – $1000
• Food: $750 – $3000
• Drinks: $1000 – $5000
• Activities: $500 – $3000
• Daily Total: $5243 – $15,890 (161.73 – 490.15 USD)

Ways To Save

Realistically, you won’t be spending the same exact amount per day, but it can fluctuate quite dramatically depending on what you do.

If you’re wanting to save a little bit more, here are some tips for stretching your dollar as far as it can go.

Taipei TRAVEL Pass

If you’re planning to spend any time in Taipei at all, consider buying the Taipei Travel Pass.

It’s great for long distances and/or multiple use of public transportation. If you’re already planning to get an EasyCard ($100 NTD), the Taipei Travel Pass might be a better option.

It’s completely customizable to how long you’ll be in Taipei, plus how many modes of transportation you plan on using.

If you don’t plan on staying very long, it might be cheaper to just pay for transportation with cash.

Taipei Fun Pass

Better yet, if you’re planning on seeing and doing all the things in Taipei – check out the Taipei Fun Pass for discounted prices on the tourist hot spots (Taipei 101, National Palace Museum, etc.) as well as the MRT and buses.

They have multiple kinds of FunPasses so you can choose which one will be best for your trip.

avoid tours

While it can be nice to chat with a local tour guide to learn more about the country and culture, most tours I’ve seen have always been pretty steep in price.

You can easily do the exact tour by yourself at a fraction of the cost such as going to a night market or a hike.

Limit or don’t drink alcohol

As I said before, Taiwan heavily taxes alcohol, like a $5-7 USD bottle of wine would be $30 USD in Taiwan (very sad).

So any kind of drinking will raise your costs pretty dramatically.

If you’re wanting to drink on a budget, you can find cheap beers and mixed drinks at any convenient store.

Many backpackers, expats, and locals will go to convenient stores to grab some drinks before heading into a nearby club or take their drinks to a park to hang out.

Eat local food

Eating at local breakfast shops, food stands, night markets, tea shops, etc. will drive your costs down dramatically compared to eating at modern restaurants.

You can also buy cheap snacks at convenience stores like sweet potatoes, boiled eggs, chips, candy, and/or (my personal fav) onigiri.

Avoid eating at American or European restaurants, you can find Japanese, Korean, and Thai food at reasonable prices.

Travel in Taiwan | Frequently Asked Questions

Is Taiwan cheap to travel in?

While you can definitely travel cheaply, averaging between $26 – $50 USD per day, it’s not as cheap compared to other Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Cambodia.

Does Taiwan accept USD?

Taiwan doesn’t accept USD. They only use their currency called NTD (New Taiwan Dollar).

You’ll need to pull out money from an ATM or exchange cash upon arrival (or beforehand).

They do accept all major credit and debit cards such as Visa and Mastercard and some places in the cities do accept Apple Pay.

Do I need cash in Taiwan?

Yes. Many places accept credit and debit cards, but local shops, night markets, etc. all use cash as the main form of payment, so I would recommend always having cash on you.

What is the cheapest time of year to visit Taiwan?

There isn’t a “cheapest” time in my opinion, the various prices for traveling in Taiwan don’t fluctuate that often.

Some people say winter is the cheapest, however that is also when the Lunar New Year occurs.

During this time, all forms of transportation (besides the MRT and buses) and accommodation are more expensive due to the demand.

Before and after the Lunar New Year holiday might be the cheapest time, but keep in mind the weather will most likely be cold and damp.

There you have it, all things budget for traveling around Taiwan! I hope this guide helps you to understand where most of your money will go and how you can best use your money for your budget. As always, if you have any questions feel free to reach out and ask! I’d love to help.

happy trails ♥

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