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Living Costs
Taiwan is a cheap and affordable place to live. This is especially true of the southern half of Taiwan where housing costs are less than half of Taipei, Taiwan's capital city to the north.
To enable you to calculate living costs on Taiwan, basic expenses (i.e., housing, utilities) have been provided below (in NT, or New Taiwan dollars). In order to determine those expenses in your home country's currency, go to www.currencycalculator.com.
◆ Housing
◆ Transportation
Motorscooter and Motorscycles
Motorscooters and motorcycles are the most common modes of transportation for teachers. Used scooters and motorcycles run from NT$7,000 to NT$35,000 depending on their condition, horsepower (i.e., 90cc versus 125cc) and make. (You can buy a new 90cc motorscooter for $NT50,000, but most teachers prefer used ones because they are less likely to get stolen. )
The advantages of scooters and motorcycles are convenience and cost. Because scooters are small, they are easier to park in crowded downtown areas. Furthermore, they cost little to maintain, and they consume little gas. (Most teachers spend no more than NT$500 per month on gas.)
The disadvantage of scooters and motorcycles is that they can be dangerous. What Westerners consider the rules of traffic are often disregarded here in the East. That being said, most foreigners usually have no problem operating a motorcycle once they understand the traffic system (or the systemlessness of the system). Before you ride a motorcycle or motor scooter, however, you must have a license. To learn what you must do to obtain one and, to learn how to safely operate a motorcycle or scooter on Taiwan, read safety tips and regulations.)
Bicycles
Good secondhand bicycles can be purchased for as little as NT$1,500, but most teachers who buy them eventually end up getting a scooter or motorcycle. Though bikes are a great way to exercise, they are not a very convenient way to get to work--especially if one wants to start work without a sweaty shirt.
Cars
New cars in Taiwan are generally more expensive than in the West. Used cars can, however, be purchased for as little as NT$70,000 to NT$140,000. Those who buy cars must have auto insurance, which runs NT$7,500 to NT$14,000 per year. Registration and fuel taxes run another NT$17,500.
The advantage of cars is that they are safer than motorbikes--especially if one commutes long distances or takes long trips on the weekends. (For safety reasons, teachers with children should seriously consider a car.) Make sure, however, that your apartment comes with a parking space because parking illegally can be expensive. If your car is towed, you must pay NT$1800 to get it back. (To learn more about operating a car in Taiwan, read safety tips and regulations.)
Taxis
Taxi fares run NT$70 for the first 1.5 kilometers, and NT$5 more for every 300 meters after that. (An added charge of NT$50 to NT$100 may be added for transport from airports, train stations and during national holidays.) Taxis are rarely used by teachers as a long term mode of transportation option, however, as over the course of the year a bike or a scooter is much cheaper, and over the course of two years, a used car is. (For safety tips regarding transportation in taxis, go to safety tips and regulations.)
Buses
Depending on the distance to one's destination, intracity bus fares run from NT$12 to NT$25. Though buses run within all cities where Schoolhouse Language Centers are located, their routes are not so extensive or frequent as they are in Taipei where, owing to traffic congestion, buses are necessary. In southern and central Taiwan buses are rarely used by teachers for intracity travel, but they are okay for inter-city travel.
Train
Trains are a convenient way to travel between cities, but they are not recommended for intracity travel. Depending on the type of train (fast, slow or medium speed) one takes, ticket prices vary. The fast train from Kaohsiung to Chiayi, for instance, costs NT$248 one way, and only takes an hour and ten minutes. To get there on the slow train costs NT$141, and takes over two hours.
Planes
Planes are a convenient way to get to Taipei or to Taiwan's outlying islands. A one-way plane ticket from Kaohsiung to Taipei takes 50 minutes and costs approximately NT$2000.
◆ Food
Western and Asian food is available at fast food establishments, restaurants and grocery stores throughout Taiwan. One can spend NT$200 per day here and eat well. Most teachers spend a bit more, however, but with the exception of a weekend splurge at TGI Friday's or Pizza Hut, they seldom spend more than NT$250-NT$300 per day on food. (For a directory of Western fast food places, restaurants and supermarkets based in Taiwan, go to Western Conveniences.)
◆ Utilities
Utilities run about NT$1500 per month. Teachers who run their air conditioning all day long will, of course, pay more than that. So will teachers who exceed the norm on long-distance phone calls. Long distance rates in Taiwan are reasonable, however. Calls to America, for instance, only cost NT$6 per minute (through China Telecom). You may get even better rates if you place your call during non-peak hours (11 p.m.~7 a.m. Taiwan time), or if you use a private long-distance company.
◆ Medical and Dental Insurance
Compared to Western countries (e.g., America, Canada) that have privatized health and dental care, Taiwan is a bargain. With a national health insurance card, a visit to a doctor may be as little as NT$150. (See Benefits, Vacations for information regarding Schoolhouse's medical and dental coverage.) National health insurance, however, does not cover 100% of all kinds of medical care. It only pays a portion of hospital stays, surgeries and some types of prescription medicine.