Renting an apartment in Taiwan can be confusing and frustrating. As a long term rental tenant and expat in Taiwan I have lived in over ten apartments and have dealt with all kinds of problems, from bad landlords to noise to bugs. I feel like my experience can help other expats searching for apartments in Taiwan, so I have created this guide and FAQ to help people avoid the mistakes that I have made in the past, and have a pleasant rental experience in Taiwan.
Tips for looking for an apartment:
Social Aspects:
Utilities:
Safety:
Comfort:
Other tips:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): Q: What are the best websites to find rental apartments in Taiwan? Chinese: 591.com House Fun (pretty much every rental listing in Taiwan is in one of two websites above) English: Taipei Apartment Rental network Taipei Apartment Rentals Tip: If you are looking for apartments in English outside Taipei, consider asking a Taiwanese friend or rental agent for help. Tip: Listings in Chinese will usually be cheaper than listings in English. Q: What are the best relocation companies? Santa Fe People First Q: How much is a one room bedroom in Taiwan? Taipei: 8,000-30,000 NT per month Hsinchu: 4,000-11,000 NT per month Taichung:6,000-25,000 NT per month Kaohsiung: 4,000-10,000 NT per month Q: How much does a water bill cost in Taiwan? A: For two people a water bill would be about 500-1000 NT for two months. Q: How much does a gas bill cost in Taiwan? Canned gas: About 700 NT per tank (changed about once per month) Piped gas: For two people who cook, 500-1200 NT for two months. Q: How much does an electricity bill cost in Taiwan? A: For two people, 1000 NT in the winter and about 2500 NT in the summer for every two months. Rates get higher if you use more energy. Q: How much are total utilities per month? A: For two people anywhere from 1000 NT to 4000 NT total per month depending on how much gas/water/electricity you use. Q: How much is internet/Wifi in Taiwan? A: Average internet bills are around 600 NT per month. If you want a cheap solution, use a SIM card with unlimited internet (about 400 NT per month) and connect it to a WiFi dongle. Q: How much are management fees in Taiwan (管理費)? A: Management fees can range from 500 NT for a cheap place to 3000 NT per month for a super fancy apartment complexes. The fee is a fixed amount based on the size of the apartment, usually 50-100 NT per ping per month. Q: Can you rent in Taiwan month to month? A: Yes, but very few landlords will allow this. It might be better to stay at a hotel or Airbnb if you are only staying short term. For more information about booking accommodation in Taiwan, see our guide here. Q: What should I look out for when looking for an apartment? A: See our tips above. Q: What are Taiwanese landlords like? A: It really depends on the person. This is why it's important to pick the right landlord. I have had some great landlords that replace appliances super fast and give out new quality stuff. Others can be super slow and not want to deal with your problems. Others will try to cheat you with extra utility fees. Most are stingy with money. However overall Taiwanese landlords are nice people. Q: Do most rental apartments have furniture in Taiwan? A: I would say yes. The ones that don't have furniture are cheaper. For more info see our tips above. Q: What kind of furnishings do most apartments in Taiwan have? Expect to have a bed, dresser, small bathroom with toilet and only a wall shower right over the toilet, an A/C unit, and a water heater. Not all apartments have a kitchen, stove, couches, or a washing machine, but most larger apartments do. Pretty much no apartments supply internal heating, ovens, microwaves, dryers, or dishwashers. This is because Taiwan winters are short, Taiwanese people don't bake, they are afraid of microwaves, they line dry clothes, and they wash dishes by hand. Q: What is the average size of an Taiwan apartment? 1 bedroom apartment: 8 ping (26 square meters, 284 square feet) 2 bedroom apartment: 15 ping (50 square meters, 534 square feet) 3 bedroom apartment: 25 ping (83 square meters, 890 square feet) 4 bedroom apartment: 35 ping (116 square meters, 1245 square feet) Q: What is the best way to clean tile floors in Taiwan? A: The best way I have found to clean a tile floor is with a good vacuum, one that scrubs on the surface. Q: What is the best way to clean mold in Taiwan? A: For normal bathroom mold, bleach should do the trick. Q: Is the water safe in Taiwan? A: Filter or boil water in Taiwan, or buy bottled water. It is not safe to drink from the tap. Taipei has the cleanest water (meaning it requires the least filtration), while more rural areas are hit and miss. Q: How am I supposed to cook in Taiwan with no oven/microwave? A: Most Taiwanese use rice cookers and gas stoves for all cooking. You can buy an inexpensive small oven or microwave if you really need one. Q: Are rental payments tax deductible in Taiwan? A: In practice, no. Even though there is a 120,000 NT tax deduction for rental expenses, 95% of individual landlords do not report their rental income to the tax office. Therefore they do not want you to claim your rent as a deduction. If you ask them, they will likely raise your rent to cover their added taxes. I do not recommend reporting your rental expense without their permission. Q: What can I expect from a typical Taiwanese rental? A: Because land is scarce on this small island with 24 million people, most rentals in Taiwan are apartment high rises. Houses are made of concrete. There are no yards. Most do not have carpet. Many will have a guard that will help to get your mail and provide security. Q: What is the typical security deposit (押金) for apartments in Taiwan? A: 1-3 months rent. This will be returned to you at the end of the contract, minus any damages you have caused to the apartment. Any more questions? Leave them in the comments below! Be sure to check out our other FAQ guides to living in Taiwan here.
11 Comments
Kate
3/4/2020 12:53:57 pm
HiHi, thanks for the awesome work.
Reply
Foreigners in Taiwan
3/4/2020 03:28:46 pm
Hi Kate, thanks for pointing that out! Just fixed it.
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Roberto
4/10/2020 07:07:10 pm
Hello,
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Amanda
6/3/2020 09:31:01 am
Hi , thank you for your information here!
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Eric
8/13/2020 09:32:08 am
Hi, Can you please tell where I can find more upmarket apartments in Tainan or surrounding area. I can't find it online for some reason.
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8/28/2020 12:18:41 am
Over this link you will get to know about the Taiwan apartment rental guide.This article is very helpful and interesting. I enjoyed reading this article as it provided me lots of information regarding it.You will get best review over here and would suggest others too. Great blog indeed, will visit again future to read more!! I have also found this resource oneciti.co.nz useful and its related to what you are mentioning.
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9/2/2020 01:47:25 pm
I'll show you homes until you fall in love with one, then I'll be your wedding planner..!
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9/26/2020 07:10:30 pm
This is a brilliant post, thank you for sharing about Taiwan apartment rental guide. We always tend to change something or the other in our house, thanks for this great advice.
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Lei Pi-de
11/11/2020 02:37:10 pm
my land made a written agreement renting a room on the roof top detailing water bill for 2 plus monthly rental and cleaning monthly. I have been paying nicely rental for 24 yrs with a deposit made. But I understand that he has overcharged NTS 300-monthly after the death of their father. I must claim this amount for at least 20 yrs that I have paid. I have the monthly bill. How can I claim this amount I have decided to move out to my own house end of this month-ie 30/11/2020 300x20 yrs= 72,000. Please explain to me. He has agreed to pay my 2 months deposit I made 24 yrs ago. Is there any interest I can claim on this too? PLEASE HELP i AM AN OLD MAN 80 yrs holds Taiwan National Identity. Thanks
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11/11/2020 07:35:16 pm
Wonderful information about Taiwan apartment rental guide, thanks a lot for sharing kind of content with us. Your blog gives the best and the most interesting information. I wonder if we can gather such practical information about it, a great post definitely to come across.
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Author 作家We are US Expats that have extensive experience living, working, and travelling in Taiwan. In our day, we had to learn many things about Taiwan the hard way. But we have come to learn that Taiwan is one of the best places in the world for Foreigners to live. Our blog does not represent the opinions of every foreigner in Taiwan. We are just trying to help others learn more about this beautiful country. Archives 檔案
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