Is dwelling in Taipei a part of your plan as a digital nomad? You’re in luck! Taipei is my favourite metropolis in Asia and I spent many months right here on completely different events and at completely different instances of my life. On this Taipei digital nomad information, I offers you an perception on how I lived in Taipei together with what I spent throughout my stint there.
📬 Reader Mail: Hello Trisha! I simply transitioned to distant work this 12 months and I want to take this chance to see the world and dwell somewhere else. First, thanks a lot for all of your content material about being a digital nomad – it’s actually serving to me with my transition.
I’m going to Asia and my first cease is Taipei since there’s a direct flight from Seattle. I’ve seen many Taiwan articles in your weblog and I can see that you just cherished your time there. I used to be questioning in the event you may give me recommendations on being a Taipei digital nomad and/or in the event you can join me to your folks there?
I respect your weblog and I hope to fulfill you so I should buy you espresso. I actually love your content material!
– Wesley, Seattle, USA
Hello Wesley,
Thanks for studying the weblog and you’re proper – I like Taipei! I’ve cultivated many friendships there and I hold coming again as a result of it’s reasonably priced and a enjoyable metropolis to be in.
Very first thing’s first: you’ll be able to have a cushty month-to-month in Taipei with US$1,500. Consuming out is reasonable, there are such a lot of issues to do, and the Web by no means fails! I discovered being a digital nomad in Taipei really easy and enjoyable, particularly in case you are in your 30s.
On this Taipei digital nomad information, I’ll inform you about all my experiences in my favourite metropolis in Asia. I hope you resolve to push by means of! Good luck!
Xx,
Trisha
🇹🇼 Taipei digital nomad at a look
- Nation: Taiwan
- Inhabitants: 2,700,000 folks
- Foreign money: The foreign money in Taiwan is known as the New Taiwan greenback (NTD). US$1 = NT$30.
- Climate: Taipei has 4 seasons however anticipate it to be extra tropical climate with lengthy months of rain and humidity throughout the summer time.
- Web Velocity: The common Web pace in Taipei is 24 Mbps.
- Energy plug: Taiwan makes use of Sort A (two flat parallel pins) and kinds B (two flat parallel pins and a grounding pin)
- Greatest neighborhood to dwell in: I at all times favor Xinyi however for digital nomads, you’ll be able to take a look at Da’an and Nangang.
- Digital Nomad Insurance coverage: I take advantage of SafetyWing and I solely pay US$40 per thirty days for journey insurance coverage.
⁉️ Why dwell in Taipei?
The primary cause why I selected to be a Taipei digital nomad is that it is vitally reasonably priced. Positive, hire will be greater than US$1,000 however for the remainder of the issues that you just want whereas dwelling in Taipei, the prices are at a minimal. You’ll be able to even have meals for lower than US$5!
Taipei has an upbeat younger group so in case you are a digital nomad in your 30s, you’ll certainly meet like-minded people who’re additionally working remotely. I’ve made so many Taiwanese mates in Taipei by means of Couchsurfing and we’re nonetheless mates up till immediately!
There are additionally many issues to do in Taipei and most of them, you don’t even must pay for. Taipei is an effective base when exploring Taiwan because it has an environment friendly transport system. Taiwan can be a small nation so if you’re going to dwell right here for 3 months, you’ll certainly know Taiwan out and in.
Personally, what I cherished essentially the most about dwelling in Taipei is the various decisions of reasonably priced eats. Taiwan prioritizes good eating and meals is an enormous a part of their tradition so that you’ll by no means run out of choices. I really feel like that is vital to say as a result of there are some cities on this planet the place I used to be not impressed with the restaurant scene.
💰 Price of dwelling in Taipei
The foreign money in Taiwan is known as the New Taiwan greenback (NTD). To translate that into US {dollars}, US$1 = NT$30. To have a greater concept of the price of dwelling in Taipei, see the desk beneath:
As noticed within the desk above, every little thing in Taipei is reasonable aside from hire. With the growth of digital nomads and expats trying into transferring to Asia, hire has elevated by means of the years however once I lived there between 2016-2018, I used to be nonetheless capable of finding housing for lower than US$1,000, which is out of the Taipei middle.
I’ve to be trustworthy – even when grocery purchasing in Taipei is tremendous low cost, I didn’t cook dinner in my residence in Taipei. I in all probability solely cooked as soon as when my Taiwanese mates wished to attempt a dish in my nation however for the remainder of my keep there, I at all times ate out.
Road meals is lower than US$5 and at any time when I need to splurge on a weekend, I am going on high-end tasting menus within the greatest eating places in Taipei (and on this planet) for US$130 (a 9-course meal).
In the event you like cooking and want to avoid wasting bucks whereas dwelling in Taipei as a digital nomad, supermarkets are your go-to. For less than US$5, you may get 1 lb of boneless hen breast. A kilo of greens (i.e. potatoes) ranges from US$3 – US$6 and a dozen eggs prices US$3.
Different issues that I spent embody cleansing assist (US$13 per hour), haircut (US$25), massages (US$90), and a month-to-month gymnasium membership of US$49.
Relying in your life-style, it’s secure to say that you could dwell in Taipei for US$2,000 per thirty days (in case you are renting within the metropolis middle). In the event you select different neighborhoods in Taipei, you’ll be able to reduce your dwelling bills to US$1,200 per thirty days.
Please keep in mind that I used to be a single girl once I was dwelling in Taipei in order typical, issues are at all times costlier if you find yourself dwelling by yourself. If you’re sharing this with a associate and a member of the family, then that’s a unique story however the very same pricing vary as above.
You may also like:
💻 Residing in Taipei as a digital nomad: the whole information
Greatest months to dwell in Taipei
I’d say that March & April and October & November are the perfect months to dwell in Taipei, particularly in the event you solely plan to remain right here for one month. The wet season is from November to March and also you actually don’t need to be in Taipei throughout these months – will probably be laborious to get round!
July and August are excessive seasons so that you’d prefer to keep away from that too as a result of that is the time when costs are increased and long-term hire is tougher to search out. In the event you’d prefer to know what occurs in Taipei month by month, learn my article on the greatest time to go to Taipei.
Web pace in Taipei
I by no means had issues with the Web in Taipei. The connection is quick in all places within the metropolis so this was NEVER a problem for me as a Taipei digital nomad. The month-to-month Web invoice in my residence was lower than US$25 and a few landlords will already embody this invoice in your hire.
The common Web pace in Taipei is 24 Mbps, sufficient for me to do my work which is heavy on importing and enhancing pictures/movies. When I’m importing on Youtube, a 30-minute video is printed inside 10 minutes. The speeds are actually nice in Taipei and also you don’t have to fret about work productiveness.
Taipei sim card
If you can be dwelling in Taipei for greater than 30 days, I’d extremely encourage you to get a sim card. One of the best provider in Taiwan is Chunghwa. They’ve higher protection in the entire nation, particularly if you’re going to do hikes in distant and mountain areas.
T-Star is broadly utilized by people who find themselves dwelling in Taipei Metropolis because it’s cheaper however I nonetheless favor Chunghwa over T-Star. A weekly limitless plan prices US$14 and I typically don’t even use all of this information plan since I work from home or in cafes.
Under are extra pay as you go plans for Chunghwa:
- 3 days limitless plan: US$10
- 5, 7, and 10 days limitless plan: US$17
- 15 days limitless plan: US$23
- 30 days limitless plan: US$33
There are Chunghwa kiosks in each Terminals 1 and a pair of of Taipei Worldwide Airport so you should purchase a sim card straight away upon arrival in Taipei.
Co-working areas in Taipei
The Hive
📍 No. 119號, Part 1, Chongqing S Rd, Zhongzheng
💲 from US$133 per thirty days
📞 +886 2 2382 0283
I’ve been so keen on The Hive due to their month-to-month group occasions. I’m significantly drawn to the glass wall format of this co-working area: mild is de facto vital to me when on the lookout for a coworking area!
It’s not as loud as different coworking areas (besides when there are occasions, after all). If it’s essential take a name with out distractions, they’ve cellphone cubicles that you should use for a assured quiet assembly along with your shoppers.
I paid US$133 for a shared area however if you need your individual workplace desk, the associated fee is round US$233 per thirty days. Add one other hundred {dollars} and also you’ll get a personal workplace at The Hive.
Hun
📍 No.1, Yumen St, Zhongshan
💲 from US$3 per hour
📞 +886 2 2586 9363
I found Hun when an expat pal invited me for a yoga session at Hun’s terrace. I didn’t have any concept that it was a co-working area (I actually thought it was only a yoga studio) and this place stunned me! It’s like a digital nomad constructing!
I like working at my residence in Taipei so the primary plan I attempted at Hun was the US$3 per hour devoted desk area. In contrast to another co-working areas in Taipei, Hun stays speak in confidence to 9:00 PM so that is the place I am going when I’ve to take calls from North America at night time.
FutureWard
📍 105, Taiwan, Taipei Metropolis, Songshan
💲 from US$180 per thirty days
📞 +886 2 2719 8622
FutureWard has two branches in Taipei: one in Songshan (deal with above) and one other one in Da’an, which is a digital nomad neighborhood. I’ve tried each however Songshan is far nearer to the place I labored. Though I need to say I like the vibe of the folks on the Da’an department!
My favourite factor about FutureWard is that you could file clear audio by renting their quiet recording rooms. That is one thing I’ve by no means seen in any coworking area on this planet. This can be a nice area for digital nomads who’ve their very own podcasts!
Join
📍 106, Taiwan, Taipei Metropolis, Da’an
💲 from US$380 per thirty days
📞 +886 2 2741 4242
One other scorching coworking area within the Da’an neighborhood, I like Join due to the younger professionals that come right here each day. There may be a lot to study from these folks and that is the one cause why I am going to coworking areas. I normally work from home however that is the place to attach once I select to work outdoors.
Though I’d at all times favor standing tables, the benefit of Join is that they’ve ergonomic chairs that provide you with consolation in your work. I’ve had again issues ever since I turned a digital nomad so these chairs are a deal with for me!
Taipei cafes for digital nomads
Wherever I’m touring and discovering cafes to work in, I at all times really feel observe the tradition first.
In some nations, folks don’t actually go to work in a restaurant to sit down and work however in Taipei cafes, you will note many younger professionals on their computer systems so I one way or the other didn’t really feel misplaced.
There are numerous Taipei cafes which have plugs, good meals, and a cushty desk for working. When staying in Taipei cafes for greater than 4 hours, ensure you order sufficient (no less than 1 massive meal and a pair of drinks).
Under are my favourite cafes in Taipei the place I at all times sit and work:
Yaboo Cafe (Da’an)
📍 No. 26, Lane 41, Yongkang St, Da’an District
📞 +886223912868
This can be a cafe that’s sort of a coworking area. There are massive shared tables in a library format and the entire tables have sockets close by – you don’t have to fret about transferring to a different desk when your laptop computer runs out of battery.
They’ve an important espresso choice (from chilly brew to tea) and the meals is usually candy bread however there are savory plates, too!
Fika Fika Cafe (Zhongshan)
📍 No. 33, Yitong St, Zhongshan
📞 +886 2 2507 0633
Fika Fika Cafe is among the smallest Taipei cafes however what I like about that is the outside space, the perfect space to work in when it’s not raining in Taipei. The espresso is de facto nice and lots of younger Taiwanese hang around right here for a each day dose of their frappe.
College students additionally come right here for group research so you’ll typically see the massive tables with a gaggle of scholars in uniform. Though it’s at all times full, I had no hassle with noise as everybody was doing their very own factor.
Elsewhere Cafe (Zhongzheng)
📍 No. 5號, Part 3, Chongqing S Rd, Zhongzheng
📞 +886 2 3393 2018
Elsewhere Cafe has an important set-up: all the massive wood tables are in the midst of the room surrounded by bookshelves with a whole bunch of books on show. You’ll be able to borrow the books if you are within the cafe however most significantly, because it has a library set-up, working right here has been conducive for me.
Triangle Backyard Cafe (Datong)
📍 103, Taiwan, Taipei Metropolis, Datong
📞 +886 2 2556 1773
Triangle Backyard Cafe jogs my memory of my time in Tbilisi, Georgia the place there are completely different seating areas with distinctive units of classic tables and chairs. The working areas are comfy and this cafe has created a following among the many younger digital nomads of Datong due to the good working ambiance and their unbelievable choice of meals.
Expat and digital nomad communities in Taipei
Taipei will not be solely a digital nomad hub. There are additionally many expats and foreigners dwelling right here full-time. As a solo feminine traveler, I didn’t have a tough time assembly folks in Taipei.
At first, I used Couchsurfing (CS) closely to attach with different vacationers. I felt prefer it was the right channel to search out like-minded people like me who is continually hopping the globe. I actually did join with one particular person on CS and after that, this particular person linked me to all of his Taiwanese mates and I used to be in a position to be a part of a group.
I even have a really shut pal from dwelling who’s Taiwanese-Filipino. Her husband and she or he moved to Taipei so once I got here, I knew somebody immediately. Since they’re a Taiwanese and American couple, their teams of friends are additionally very numerous so by means of them, I used to be in a position to meet different folks dwelling in Taipei.
For certain, in the event you don’t know anybody, one of the simplest ways to attach is thru current teams on Fb. Listed here are some teams that I like to recommend:
Useful apps to make use of in Taipei
Each nation has their very own app and on this part, I’ll share with you all of the apps that can be useful for touring or dwelling in Taipei:
- Enjoyable Now: an app for reserving eating places, spa appointments, salon, meals supply, attraction tickets, and lots of extra!
- Go Taipei Metro: for navigating the Taipei rail with ease. There are numerous practice traces in Taipei and that is the perfect app to grasp them.
- Google maps: for navigation and discovering your approach from level A to B
- KKday: Kkday is a journey company that’s broadly used not simply in Taiwan however throughout Southeast Asia.
- Line: that is Asia’s Whatsapp so in the event you dwell right here, it’s essential to have this messaging app!
- Pleco: the perfect English to Chinese language translation app utilized by expats
- Taiwan Information With Me: use this app to customise your individual journeys inside Taiwan. It makes use of filters to provide the greatest outcomes so you’ll be able to at all times plan your travels utilizing this app.
- Taiwan Climate: essentially the most correct climate app that may inform you real-time climate wherever in Taiwan
- Tour Taiwan: an app to search out the perfect eating places, issues to do, and sights in Taiwan.
- Journey Taipei: right here, you will see that all the newest occasions and festivals taking place within the capital.
- YouBike: Taiwan is a bicycle/bike nation so this app will allow you to discover the perfect month-to-month and weekly leases for bicycles and motorbikes.
- Uber: greatest taxi app in Taipei
Discovering housing in Taipei
Whereas yow will discover housing on-line earlier than transferring to Taipei, it’s nonetheless greatest so that you can take a look at locations if you find yourself already there. First, determine the neighborhood that you just need to dwell in.
Personally, I really feel like Da’an and Datong are nice neighborhoods for digital nomads. Nangang is one other up-and-coming neighborhood to take a look at the place hire costs are comparatively decrease than in Taipei Metropolis middle.
You could find housing in these neighborhoods for lower than US$1,000 however please observe that some flats or condominiums in Taipei are actually small. My greatest recommendation is to discover a area that may suit your finances and don’t work from home whereas in Taipei. Add a co-working area to your month-to-month finances to make sure productiveness and luxury.
Under are some web sites that you could take a look at when on the lookout for month-to-month leases in Taipei:
- 591.com.tw: nice for locating flats in Taipei beneath US$1,000
- Craigslist Taipei: discover lengthy or quick time period hire and even condos on the market
- MyRoomAbroad.com: an important web site for single people who find themselves on the lookout for a room beneath US$800. This isn’t simply utilized in Taipei however all main cities in Asia.
- Taipei House Rental Community: a web site the place yow will discover far more listings than another web sites
- Tealit: an important web site not only for discovering housing but in addition for locating native job boards in Taiwan
In the event you don’t discover something appropriate on the web sites above, you’ll be able to at all times depend on Fb teams like Taiwan Residences and Roommates and Rental Residences in Taiwan.
Taiwan digital nomad visa
In the mean time, Taiwan doesn’t supply a digital nomad visa however all guests from all around the world are entitled to a 90-day keep, which makes it very handy for digital nomads. You’ll be able to exit each 90 days and are available again with out a drawback. This is among the best methods to resume your vacationer visa in Taiwan.
In the event you plan to dwell in Taiwan for greater than 3 months, you’re required to use for an ARC (Alien Resident Certificates) which you’ll have to do in your house nation. That is pointless until you’re going to dwell in Taiwan completely. The method may be very tedious and tremendous costly.
Another choice is to use for a Taiwan Entrepreneur Visa. That is a better possibility than the ARC. All it’s important to do is to show that you’ve got US$70,000 within the financial institution and might assist your self whereas dwelling in Taiwan.
I at all times enter Taiwan with a traditional vacationer visa and I by no means had an issue going out and in. Please observe that not all nationalities get 90 days visa when coming into Taiwan so higher verify earlier than you permit. Some residents are solely given 14 days (i.e. Southeast Asian nations just like the Philippines).
✈️ Prepared on your journey to Taipei? This weblog thrives on reader questions so be happy to ask questions on dwelling in Taipei or Taipei digital nomad life-style through the use of the remark field beneath. You can even join 1-on-1 teaching with me in the event you want extra assist!
Trisha is a kind of individuals who left their comfy life to journey the world and find out about life. Her fashion is to remain in a single place she likes for 3 months (or extra) to know what it feels prefer to eat, cook dinner, communicate, and sleep in one other tradition that isn’t hers. She’d prefer to imagine she’s not historically touring however she simply chooses to be elsewhere on a regular basis. In no explicit order, her favourite cities on this planet are Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Hong Kong, Mexico Metropolis, and Tel Aviv.
