The Disadvantages of Living in Taiwan 住在台灣的缺點

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Hey all you Taiwan haters and long-term whiny expats, this is the article you have been waiting for. We are sick of writing Taiwan propaganda pieces, it's time to get down to the nitty gritty, why Taiwan sucks. Sure there are lots of good things about Taiwan, in fact, the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages, but to be fair and honest we must tell the whole story about the dark side of the best place for expats to live in the whole world.
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Basic Taiwan Travel Tips:

• There is no need to tip in Taiwan. It is not part of the culture here.
• Taiwan uses the New Taiwan Dollar, and many transactions such as for street food still require cash. For more information, check out our guide to the New Taiwan Dollar here. 
• Get yourself a SIM card or portable WiFi such as from Gigago here so you can stay connected and don't get lost in the city.
• If you are from a country that does not have a 90-day visa-free program with Taiwan, consider getting your visa sorted with Ivisa.com. You can also check out our immigration FAQ here. 
• Get travel insurance in case of unforeseen events. You can compare prices on Insubuy here. 
• The electrical voltage is 110V.
• Get yourself an Easy Card, so you can travel easily on the MRT, Train, HSR, Youbike, and even shop at convenience stores. You can also book a Taiwan travel pass on Klook here. 
• For more travel tips, check out our foreigner survival guide here.

Hotels in Taiwan:
Looking for a hotel? We recommend booking through Booking.com here, which provides the best quality selection of accommodation in Taiwan.
Find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here.

Tours in Taiwan:
There are many tour itineraries that you can enjoy in Taipei that will take you to multiple destinations and arrange transportation. For more information, you can check out Tripadvisor here, KKday here or Klook here, which are both great tour websites that can connect you with the right tour and tour guide for you. 
Here are some of the most popular tours of Taiwan on TripAdvisor:

1. Yehliu, Jiufen & Pingxi Day Tour from Taipei
2. The 10 Tastings of Taipei With Locals: Private Street Food Tour
3. Full-Day Private Northern Taiwan Tour from Taipei with Pickup
4. Full-Day Private Custom Taipei City Tour
5. Beitou and Yangmingshan Day Tour from Taipei
6. Half-Day Muslim Friendly Tour in Taipei City
7. Private Taipei Tour for Families

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How to get around in Taiwan:
Taiwan's transportation system is convenient and safe. There are many options you can consider to get around in Taipei below:
By Train: Gets you to the city center of all major cities in Taiwan. It is about 800NT to get from Taipei to Kaohsiung. Roughly half the price of the HSR. Book tickets via the normal train (TRA)  on Klook here.
By HSR: (High-Speed Rail) – Gets you quickly from north to south. Besides Taipei and Kaohsiung, most of the stations are far from city centers. It costs about 1500NT to get from Taipei to Kaohsiung. You can book tickets to the high-speed rail (HSR)  on Klook here or KKDay here.  
By MRT: (Mass Rapid Transit, Metro train, subway) – Easily gets you around Taipei and Kaohsiung. You can purchase a discount easy card to use on the MRT from Klook here or KKday here. ​You can also book an MRT travel pass on Klook here. 
By Bus: Buses can be tricky. Long-range buses such as Ubus and King Bus are easier to understand and cheaper than the local train. They can take you to the city center of every city throughout Taiwan and to remote tourist destinations such as sun moon lake. A long-range bus from Taipei to Kaohsiung is about 500 NT. You can also book tickets to travel to Shifen via inter-city bus on Klook here. You can also book a Taipei Sightseeing: Hop On, Hop Off Open Top Bus on TripAdvisor here. 
By Taxi: You can take short rides for about 150 NT, or hire a Taxi for a day for around 150 USD.
By Car: If you are looking for car rentals, you can also search Qeeq here, Klook here, or  KKday here. You can also check out our car rental guide here.  
By Scooter: Looking for scooter rental in Taipei? You can search on Klook here or KKday here to search for options. You can also check out our scooter rental guide here. ​
By Bicycle: Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan's landscapes if you have the time and energy. Looking for bicycle rentals in Taiwan? You can use Taiwan's many Youbike sharing stations, or search for rentals on KKday here, and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. â€‹You can also book a Sunset Riverside Bike Ride and Historical Tour, 4 Hour Cycling in Taipei, Ultimate 8-Hour Cycling City Tour, or Taipei City Bike Tour with Night Market Experience on TripAdvisor here. 
For more information, check out our Taiwan transportation guide here. 

Okay, now let's get this list started!

1. Banking Sucks​ 台灣的銀行很爛

Banking in Taiwan sucks, let's just get that out of the way. There is just no way to sugarcoat it. From the hour-long waits for a simple detail change, to all banks in Taiwan closing at 3:30 PM so they can push papers until they get off work, to the ridiculous signature requirements. Not to mention the lack of English web banking tools, endless paper forms for foreigners to sign, and ridiculous "guarantor" requirements for foreigners trying to get a credit card or bank loan. However at the end of the day, the daily banking system works for our basic needs, and we can all spend our money and wire it in and out of the country without government interference. ​

2. Foreigners have less rights and are second rate citizens, especially southeast Asians 外國人的權利比較少,算是二級公民, 特別東南亞人

Foreigners have fewer rights than the average Taiwanese citizen. We can't vote, we can't get long-term phone plans, and lots of websites do not accept "ARC" numbers to register online. For Southeast Asians, immigration and other requirements are also more strict, in what can only be described as racist policies. Wages and work hours for migrant workers are also inhumane. In addition, many Taiwanese look down on people they consider to be from poorer countries. However, these issues are getting more and more attention and hopefully, the situation will improve in the future.​

​3. Foreigners can't naturalize without giving up original citizenship​ 外國人不能申請歸化國籍, 除非放棄原國籍

Even though I have permanent residency and am married to a Taiwan National, I cannot get a Taiwan passport without giving up my American citizenship (however, there are a few exceptions for special professionals and French priests). Taiwanese citizens however can enjoy dual citizenship as long as they were born Taiwanese first. Recently new laws have been put in place to change this for special professionals or those with special contributions to Taiwan, but it needs to be expanded further. All permanent residents should be eligible for citizenship without having to give up their original nationality. ​

​4. Lack of foreign products 沒有甚麼外國產品

Even though Taiwan has Costco, Carrefour, and PX Mart, the variety of foreign products is limited. As a foreigner in Taiwan, you are bound to miss out on some foreign products that are not sold in Taiwan. Even if they do sell the product you want, it is probably three times the price it is in Taiwan compared to back home. However, there are some foreign shops in Taiwan as well as Shopee and Amazon to help.​

​5. Lack of Taco Bells and other foreign restaurant chains​ 沒有塔可貝爾等外國連鎖餐廳

There is a serious lack of Mexican food in Taiwan. Also, I do not understand why there is Taco Bell in China but not in Taiwan, while we have KFC and Pizza Hut. Not every foreign restaurant chain has established a business in Taiwan, so you are bound to miss out on your favorite restaurants from home. But Taiwan has some amazing and delicious local cuisine that you should try, or else you will truly miss out during your time in Taiwan. ​

​6. Taiwan's traffic is a nightmare​ 台灣的交通就是惡夢

Taiwan's traffic is not safe. Compared to your home country, there may be way more scooters here. The driving culture is different. The accident and traffic rates may also be higher than in your home country. Taiwan still has a long way to go in regards to road safety, especially for pedestrians. But you cannot deny that riding a scooter around Taiwan is both fun and convenient. ​

7. Taiwan's schools are stuck in the past​ 台灣的學校太落後

Taiwan's schools are rigorous and students are slammed with homework, tests, and after-school study. Students in Taiwan barely have time for anything except school, and teachers and parents encourage a culture of rote memorization, competition, and perfection in school instead of encouraging play and critical thinking. Private foreign schools are also ridiculously expensive. It is a struggle that every foreign parent and child will have to go through, but somehow most of the kids survive it. ​

8. Employment sucks​ 工作機會很爛

Taiwan's Labor Standards Act, which gives a very low standard for employment rights, is considered the standard here. Taiwan workers work some of the longest hours in the world. There are very few holidays, and there are also periodical "work makeup days" on some Saturdays. Employee rights are a joke. HR always stands on the side of the employer. It is expected that you work overtime for free. Managers and bosses have all the power, and employees must comply without complaint. But some foreigners have found work that they enjoy in Taiwan.
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9. Wages suck​ 薪水很低

Taiwan's wages are low compared to the rest of the Asian Tigers and the western world. Taiwan's government and corporations also work to keep wages low to support a manufacturing export-based economy. This happens to dampen Taiwan's chances to attract high-salary foreign professionals and top local talent in Taiwan, fueling a brain drain. The only silver lining here is that goods and services are also less expensive than in other countries. ​

10. There's China...it's there​ 中國大陸在旁邊

China could attack at any time, right? China will always be there in the back of your mind, what if China attacks? What is the point of going to such a dangerous island with escalating tensions? Well if you want to support democracy, basic human rights, and freedom, you should still choose to come and support Taiwan. ​

11. Lack of English Resources 沒什麼英文資源

For people that cannot read or speak Chinese, trying to navigate life in Taiwan may be hard. Although more English materials have been made in recent years, many signs, menus, government information etc. are all written in Chinese. It sucks. But there are a few solutions, such as asking for help, using Google Translate, or actually learning Chinese.
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12. The air quality​ 空氣汙染

Taiwan sometimes can have terrible air quality, such as the photo above shows. This is true especially in winter when there is less rain and the chances of dirty air floating over from China are greater. You can also choose to blame cars, scooters, and local coal plants in Taiwan. Whoever you blame, blame someone, and make it count. 

​13. It's too hot 太熱了

Compared to your home country, Taiwan may be a hot place. It can get up to 38 degrees Celsius or more in the summer, with near 100% humidity. If your home country is a cool, dry place, this may come as a shock to you. But believe it or not, your body can adjust to a hotter temperature. Also, if you stay hydrated, you can feel comfortable in the heat and humidity for longer amounts of time. In addition, almost every building in Taiwan has air conditioning. ​

​14. Taiwan is different than your country 台灣跟你母國不一樣

Taiwan is not Kansas. So many things are different. They don't speak the same language. People do things differently. In fact, their whole life outlook and philosophy are probably different. But actually, it is a great opportunity to try to learn about a new culture and way of looking at the world.​

​15. Look in the mirror 去照鏡子

The biggest disadvantage to coming to Taiwan will likely be the struggle inside your own mind to defeat your own pessimism. Taiwan is different. It is up to you to decide what is most important to you, and what are some disadvantages of Taiwan that you can live with. You can choose to complain about every little thing seen from your expat point of view, or you can choose to be humble and learn about a new culture, climate, and new way of living. 

Now that you know about the dark side of living as a foreigner in Taiwan, it is up to you to decide whether to come here or not. You have to decide whether or not the advantages that are calling you to Taiwan outweigh the disadvantages. 
But in the end, whatever you choose, you should still come to Taiwan. Taiwan is awesome. It has friendly people, amazing food, amazing scenery, an interesting history, and vibrant democracy. You won't regret it!


Attractions in Taiwan:
There are many attractions that you can enjoy in Taipei such as  Taipei 101 Observatory, Taipei 101 460 Skyline Observatory, Taipei Children's Amusement Park, Maokong Gondola, National Palace Museum, Yehliu Ocean World, Yehliu Geopark, National Museum of Marine Science and Biology, i-ride 5D cinema, Astronomical Museum, Miniatures Museum of Taiwan, Double Decker Sightseeing Bus, Miramar Ferris Wheel Ticket, Taipei Zoo, Heping Island Park, Ju Ming Museum, Yuanshan Hotel Secret Road, National Taiwan Museum, New Taipei Gold Museum, Futian Leisure Farm, Chiang Kai-shek Shilin Residence, Chi Po-lin Museaum, Beitou Museum, Tsao Wonderland, Railway Museum, Fort San Domingo, 13 Levels Archaeology Museum, Austin Land, Museum of World Religions, Formosan Aboriginies Museum, ASE Parent-child Park, teamLab Future Park, Yukids Island, VR Experience, Bat Cave, Neidong Waterfall, Candlestick Islet, Jurassic Snow Park, Zhonghe High5 Amusement Park, Longshan Temple, Xingtian Temple, Ningxia Night Market, Yansan Night Market, Meteor Garden, Yingge Old Street, and many more attractions on Tripadvisor here, Klook here, or KKday here​. 

Activities in Taiwan:
Don't forget that there are many activities available in Taipei such as Indoor Skiing, Rock Climbing, Hiking, Wakeboarding, Surfing, Speedboat Surfing, SUP / Paddle Boarding, Diving, Snorkeling Kayaking, Canoeing, Water Biking,  River Tracing / Canyoneering, ATVing, Horse Riding, Cooking Class, Archery, Ice Skating, Roller Skating, Tree Climbing, Urban Camping, Glamping, Motorcycling, Motorbike Tour, Dragon Boat Racing, Escape Room, Shen'ao Rail Bike, Laser Gun Experience, Batting Cages, Bowling, Paintball, Flight Simulation Experience, Taipei Tram Driving Experience, Rail Simulation Experience, Taipei 101 Observation Deck activity, Strawberry Picking, Professional Photo Shoot, Body Relaxation SPA, Night Tour, Calligraphy Workshop, and more on Tripadvisor here, Klook here, or KKday here. ​

Please like and share! If we forgot something, please tell us in the comments below!

​You can also check out our full travel guide to Taiwan here. ​

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