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Taipei
#90 of 124
Asia

Taipei

Taiwan

Salary & Cost of Living

View purchasing power ranking

How do salaries and expenses in Taipei compare to San Francisco?

Purchasing Power Comparison

An engineer in Taipei is 56% worse off vs in San Francisco

This shows how far a software engineer's salary goes in Taipei compared to San Francisco, taking into account both salary differences and cost of living.

Median Salary
$50,067
-$222K (-82%) vs San Francisco
Based on 1003 data points from levels.fyi
Net Salary
$33,595
-$139K (-81%) vs San Francisco
Tax Rate: 33%

Community Insights

New

Taipei offers a stark contrast between lifestyle quality and financial return for software engineers. While the city excels in safety (#3 worldwide), convenience, and healthcare, it lags significantly in financial incentives for local hires, with net income ranking #89. The Gold Card program is a major draw for senior talent, but those relying on local employment often face a culture shock regarding salary and work-life balance compared to Western standards. It is a haven for remote workers earning foreign currency but a challenging market for those seeking to build wealth on a local wage.

Resident Sentiment

The sentiment is generally mixed. Transplants universally praise the safety, food, and convenient public transport. However, there is a strong undercurrent of frustration regarding stagnant local wages and high housing costs. Many software engineers emphasize that the "dream" lifestyle is best achieved by working for a foreign company or remotely, noting that working for a traditional Taiwanese local company can lead to burnout and dissatisfaction due to rigid work cultures.

The Good

Living Environment

Weather•Safety•Pollution•Events

A quick look at climate, safety, pollution, and tech community compared to San Francisco.

Rankings

Safety Index

Top 2%

#3

of 124 cities

83.5/100

Current value

Community Events

Top 10%

#13

of 124 cities

17 events on luma

Current value

Cost of Living

Top 33%

#41

of 124 cities

39/100

Current value (lower is better)

Housing Affordability

View affordability ranking

How affordable is housing for a software engineer in Taipei compared to San Francisco?

Avg. Property Price
$10,990 / m²
9% more expensive than San Francisco
View detailed property prices on Numbeo

Salary Converter

Enter your annual gross salary (before taxes) to see what you would need to earn in Taipei to maintain the same standard of living.

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Cost of Living
56% cheaper than San Francisco
View detailed cost breakdown on Numbeo

Top Paying Companies in Taipei

Google logo
Google
Qualcomm logo
Qualcomm
Microsoft logo
Microsoft
  • World-class Safety: Consistently ranked as one of the safest cities globally (Safety Index #3), allowing for worry-free walking alone at night.
  • Convenience & Lifestyle: 24/7 culture with ubiquitous convenience stores, reliable public transport (MRT), and a vibrant night market scene.
  • Healthcare Accessibility: The National Health Insurance system is affordable, high-quality, and easily accessible for residents.
  • Gold Card Visa: The Employment Gold Card offers software engineers an open work permit, tax benefits, and residency perks, streamlining the move.
  • Food Culture: incredible variety of affordable dining options, from street food to high-end restaurants, often cheaper than cooking at home.

The Bad

  • Low Local Salaries: Median software engineer salaries are significantly lower than in the US or Europe, resulting in lower purchasing power (Rank #91).
  • Housing Affordability: Real estate is extremely expensive relative to local income (Affordability Rank #121), forcing many to rent smaller spaces.
  • Work Culture: Local companies often have a hierarchical culture with expectation of unpaid overtime and "face time," unlike Western tech firms.
  • Weather & Pollution: High humidity and frequent rain (141 days/year) can be draining, along with moderate air pollution issues.
  • Language Barrier: While tech roles may be English-friendly, daily life and administrative tasks often require Mandarin proficiency.

The Verdict

You'll love it if...

Remote workers or digital nomads earning a strong salary in USD/EUR who want a high quality of life, safety, and excellent healthcare. Senior engineers eligible for the Gold Card who value cultural immersion and lifestyle over maximum savings will also thrive here. It is ideal for those who enjoy bustling city life and are open to learning Mandarin.

Skip it if...

Junior engineers or those solely focused on FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) via a local job, as the salary-to-housing ratio is unfavorable (#121 affordability rank). Individuals who are sensitive to humidity and air pollution, or those unwilling to adapt to a potentially hierarchical work culture in local firms, should reconsider.

Updated 11/29/2025

Weather1.7/10-80% vs San Francisco
Safety84+112%
Pollution49-1%
Events17-67%
1.7/10TechCities weather score vs 8.7/10 in San Francisco

0–10 composite (higher is better) combining temperature comfort, sunshine hours, rainy-day count, and humid days. See methodology for weighting and data sources.

Weather snapshot

Average High
26°C(vs 19°C in San Francisco)
Average Low
21°C(vs 12°C in San Francisco)
Sunshine Hours
1,374h/yr-1688h/yr(-55%)
Hottest Month High
33°C(vs 22°C in San Francisco)
Coldest Month Low
14°C(vs 8°C in San Francisco)
Rainy Days
141/yr+93/yr(+190%)

Community & Quality

Taipei community pulse

Taipei has 17 Luma events listed.

67% fewer events than San Francisco.

Pollution Score

Middle of the pack

#64

of 124 cities

48.7/100

Current value (lower is better)

Tax Rate

Middle of the pack

#75

of 124 cities

33%

Current value (lower is better)

Net Income

Bottom 29%

#89

of 124 cities

$33,595/yr

Current value

Purchasing Power

Bottom 28%

#90

of 124 cities

Comfortable Weather

Bottom 12%

#110

of 124 cities

17/100 weather score

Current value

Home Affordability

Bottom 3%

#121

of 124 cities

≈26.2 yrs to buy 80m²

Current value

SWE Affordability
26.2 years
21.5 years longer than San Francisco
Muggy Days
204/yr+203/yr(+101650%)
Cloud Cover
57%(vs 34% in San Francisco)