Quick answer: Taipei runs about EUR 80 per day mid-range - noticeably less if you eat local and walk. Cheapest window: October-December and March-April - mild and relatively dry; summer is hot with typhoon risk.
What things actually cost
| MRT ride | 0.70 EUR |
| bubble tea | 1.80 EUR |
| night market snack | 1.50 EUR |
| beef noodle soup | 5.50 EUR |
| Taipei 101 observatory ticket | 18 EUR |
| public hot spring bath in Beitou | 1.20 EUR |
Eat well for little
- Xiao long bao at Din Tai Fung (original Xinyi Road branch)a basket plus sides for about 10-14 EUR
- Beef noodle soup at Lin Dong Fang or Yong Kang Beef Noodlethe national dish, about 5-7 EUR
- Pepper buns (hu jiao bing) at Raohe Night Market's entrance stall - about 1.80 EUR
- Stinky tofu at any night marketbraver than it smells, about 2 EUR
- Bubble tea from Chun Shui Tang, which claims to have invented it - about 2 EUR
Money mistakes to avoid
- Eating or drinking on the MRTit is fined, and locals take the rule seriously
- Doing only night marketsthe old town around Longshan Temple and the teahouses of Maokong show a different city
- Carrying no cashnight market stalls and many small eateries do not take foreign cards
- Skipping the day tripsJiufen and the northeast coast are the region's highlight and easy without a tour
Transport without the tourist tax
The Taoyuan Airport MRT reaches Taipei Main Station in 36-50 min for about 4.50 EUR. In town, buy an EasyCard and use the immaculate MRT; most rides cost 0.60-1 EUR and YouBike shared bicycles fill the gaps.
Planning the full trip? Start with the 4-day Taipei itinerary.