What It’s Like Living in Taipei, Taiwan for 65 Days (Food, Cost & Daily Life)
🎥 Here’s what our full 2-month experience in Taipei actually looked like:
We Spent 2 Months in Taipei | Daily Life, Food & Getting Around
Taipei had been on our short list for years.
We kept hearing good things about Taipei and the more we researched, the more we wanted to visit. Clean. Efficient. Incredible food. So very livable. Not a noisy city. It's just one of those places we had to see with our own eyes.
So when planning our Asia stops, we jumped at the opportunity to squeeze Taiwan into our plans. Actually, we were deciding between Japan and Taiwan, and we made the less common choice. We didn't go for just a quick visit either, but for a full 65-day stay! We visited from early April to early June 2025 and experienced Taipei the slow travel way. I feel like we found a hidden gem! I almost don't want to let the secret out....
First Impressions: Taipei Just Works
After spending time in cities all over the world, you develop the skill of reading a place quickly. Some cities feel like an obstacle course from day one. Others just feel smooth. Taipei felt smooth, the efficiency was obvious as soon as we got to the airport and took the train into the city.
The airport arrival was simple and seamless. Getting into the city was easy. Within a couple of days, we already felt comfortable and oriented. That kind of smooth start sets the tone—and Taipei kept surprising us.
Taipei has one of the best transit systems we’ve used! Public transportation is one of the biggest indicators of how livable a city really is.
Taipei’s MRT is clean, affordable, and ridiculously easy to use. We grabbed cute EasyCards at 7-Eleven and that was it—tap in, tap out. Adding funds to the cards was easy, every train station had multiple machines/kiosks. EasyCards are also available at Family Mart of course. And no lie, there are no less than 20 choices of card designs.
The routes are well connected, signage is clear, and everything runs on time. Remember, we're navigating this system in English, not Taiwanese Mandarin. But the machines were setup to easily navigate to English. Also, if we ever needed help from locals they were so kind and patient with us.
Combined with how walkable many neighborhoods are, we rarely needed anything beyond the MRT and our own feet. The sidewalks were wide and clear. There were plenty of overhangs to protect you from the sun or rain. We took the bus a few times, which was fast, on time, efficient and easy to use as well.
Zero stress. That’s the goal—and Taipei nails it. We loved how fun Taipei made things too! From the themed 7-Eleven Stores to the fun MRT Transit cards. They found ways to make the mundane, fun.
Our Neighborhood: Ximen
Our AirBnB was in the Ximen District or Ximending, and it turned out to be the perfect base for exploring.
It’s central, lively, and packed with food—but step just a few streets away from the main pedestrian area and it quiets down quickly.
That balance worked really well for us. Some days we wanted energy. Other days we wanted calm. Taipei gave us both.
The Food Scene (The Most Important Part, Right?!)
Taipei has one of the best food scenes we’ve experienced anywhere, yeah, I said it!
Night markets are a huge part of the culture, and they absolutely live up to the hype. Busy and packed with options—it's best to wander through without a plan and scan the stands. That way you see EVERYTHING that's available. You'll see long lines, but don't worry, they move quickly. Each stand is making food fresh, to order! The aroma in the air is incredible!
Pepper buns, fried chicken, peanut ice cream rolls and bubble tea everywhere! No matter what I say, it can't hold a candle to how delicious it was!
Small local restaurants, beef noodle soup spots, breakfast joints locals actually go to—high quality, unpretentious, and incredibly affordable. No need for a reservation, just get in line. Again, it moves quickly and efficiently. That's the ongoing theme.
We also didn’t expect the coffee scene to be this strong. Taipei has a legit specialty coffee culture. Nice shops, even some small roasters. Great coffee and perfect spots to grab a great coffee and watch the world go by.
Getting Out of the City
One of Taipei’s biggest advantages is how easy it is to leave. The day trips you can take using public transportation are truly amazing!
Here are the day trips we took using only public transit:
- Jiufen — one of the most memorable places we’ve visited
- Shifen Waterfall — easy and absolutely worth it
- Beitou Hot Springs — a completely different vibe
- Tamsui — relaxed waterfront energy
- Elephant Mountain — one of the best skyline views in the city
The Cost of Living in Taipei
Taipei sits in a really comfortable middle ground.
Not ultra-cheap—but not expensive either. If I had to separate the costs, I'd say that short-term accommodations were on the expensive side. But that's expected... However; dining out was very inexpensive.
Over two months, our spending consisted of:
- Accommodation
- Food (a mix of eating out and groceries)
- Transportation
- Cafés
- Gym
- Dental cleaning/x-rays
Overall, Taipei felt very reasonable for the quality of life it offers.
When you factor in safety, cleanliness, infrastructure, and food quality—the value becomes even clearer.
What Surprised Us Most
How underrated Taipei is. We still don’t fully understand why more slow travelers aren’t visiting Taipei. It checks so many boxes for us!
Some cities are amazing to visit but exhausting to live in. Constant noise, traffic congestion, crowded transit, etc. Taipei just works. It's so efficient. Very quiet for a large city. Also, Taipei is very friendly and welcoming locals.
Big city energy without overwhelming chaos. That combination is rare—and Taipei pulls it off.
Could We Live in Taipei Long-Term? Yes!
Taipei has everything we look for:
- Reliable infrastructure
- Excellent food
- Easy transportation
- High livability
- Affordable cost of living
- High quality of life
We visited during spring (April–June), which meant great weather overall. Summers get hot and humid, and typhoon season is something to consider—so timing matters for longer stays.
We enjoyed a baseball game while we were there. We cheered for the Fubon Guardians and had a blast! We bought out tickets from Family Mart and took public transportation to the stadium (bus).
We left Taipei feeling like we barely scratched the surface—but we got a great idea as to what it’s like to live there. That’s what slow travel is really about for us. Not just seeing the highlights—but experiencing daily life. We would go back to Taipei in a heartbeat.
Next time, we’d stay longer, probably settle in to a different neighborhood, and eat even more irresponsibly. We'd consider a month in Busan and then two months in Taipei.
If Taipei isn’t on your radar yet, it should be. It’s one of those cities that delivers on almost every aspect. Once you try those Soup Dumplings, Beef Noodle Soup and Bubble Tea, you'll be hooked too!
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