• Digital Nomad Resources
  • Train Travel
  • Urban Rail Transit
  • Where To Stay

Nomadic Notes

Travel blog and weekly travel newsletter

  • Blog
  • Travel Newsletter

Taipei Accommodation Guide

December 23, 2014 By Jeremy Jacobson 6 Comments

Taipei, the crown jewel of Taiwan, is a wonderfully Chinese metropolis. A little off the beaten track, it is easy to slip under the radar and experience the everyday Taipei, a warm and inviting mix of Eastern cultures and of the ancient and modern.

Western visitors to Taiwan are few and far between, with the majority coming from China and Hong Kong. English, if spoken at all, is at best a third language.

With no mainstream backpacker culture and language challenges, finding a place to call home can be its own rewarding adventure

Taipei 101
[Taipei 101 in the XinYi Neighborhood.]

Neighborhoods

Public transportation in Taipei is efficient, fast, and cheap, and each neighborhood has its own markets and highlights. There are almost no bad places to rent.

The most central neighborhoods are Song Shan, Xin Yi, and Da An, but anywhere near a subway station will be convenient. Prices are highest in these 3 neighborhoods and in the large Expat community of Tian Mu.

Taipei Districts
[Taipei districts from wikimedia.org.]

Many longer-term visitors come to Taipei to teach English, study Chinese, or as a business expat. As a result there are many options for room rentals near the main universities, and real estate agents that focus on expat housing.

The two largest universities, National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU or Shi Da) and National Taiwan University (NTU), are located around the Da An Neighborhood. NTNU is near Gu Ting MRT Station and NTU is located near Gong Guan MRT Station.

Generally speaking, without Chinese language skills rental prices are higher, but people are friendly and generous so don’t be afraid to strike up a conversation. Prices below assume English is used for all communication.

Short Term

For stays of up to a week or two, hotels, hostels, and AirBnB are the best options. Properties in all 3 categories have English speaking staff and hosts, and will help with everything from translation and transportation to dining and tourist activities

Hotels and Hostels: Agoda

Airbnb: Airbnb

Hostels charge $20-$35 per person per night, and properties on AirBnB start around $45 per night.

When we first came to Taipei we rented a small studio on AirBnB for a week and used that time to explore and find longer-term housing

Longer Term

For longer term stays, it is best to find accommodations once you have arrived. Housing quality varies tremendously, and standards are much different than in the west, so it is important to see a property first hand before committing.

Shared Housing

On the low end, a friend of ours rented a private room near NTNU for 3 months. There were 6 other rooms in the same apartment, with a shared kitchen and bathroom. She described it as “awful”. Rent was 6800 TWD ($225) a month, plus electricity.

Shared rooms of a more enjoyable variety start around 12000 TWD ($400), and will often include utilities and wi-fi.

Shared housing options can be found at the following links:

Tea lit

NTNU housing list

Craigslist

Forumosa

Apartments

In the mid range, we have rented two apartments in the last year. Our 1 bedroom apartment in the Song Shan neighborhood had a monthly rent of 31500 TWD ($1050) and our current 1 bedroom apartment in the Da An neighborhood rents for 42000 TWD ($1400) plus utilities. Both of these apartments are above average in terms of finishings.

Our $1000 a Month Apartment in Taipei, Taiwan.

Our $1,400 1-Bedroom Apartment in Taipei, Taiwan.

Kitchen in the Da An Neighborhood
[Our Dream Kitchen in the Da An Neighborhood.]

Larger apartments with 3 or more bedrooms can rent for upwards of $3000 a month.

Properties will be listed through real estate agents, on the two most popular rental web sites, or via a sign in a window. Real estate agents can be helpful with translation and sharing their knowledge of Taipei, but will charge ½ months rent for the service.

The following links are a good place to start:

Craigslist

Forumosa

591

Housefun

The last 2 links are in Chinese, but the Chrome browser will do auto translation.

We found our first apartment via word of mouth and our current apartment via Housefun.

Hard-core adventurists can explore their favorite neighborhoods on foot and look for a For Rent sign.

For Rent
[For Rent.]

No matter where you end up, Taipei is a fun and convenient place to call home. Happy hunting.

For more information about Taipei visit the Taipei travel guide.

Filed Under: Where To Stay Tagged With: taipei, taiwan

About Jeremy Jacobson

Jeremy Jacobson and his wife Winnie retired in their 30’s to travel the globe. They were based in Taipei, Taiwan and you can read about their travel adventures and early retirement financials at www.gocurrycracker.com and follow on Twitter at @gocurrycracker.

Comments

  1. Hassan says

    August 20, 2015 at 2:36 am

    Dear Jeremy Jacobson,
    Hassan here, Im goin to move Taipei, Zhongshan city, for six months.
    Jus in case, could u help me to find out a one bedroom apartment, we r a family of 3, My wife, my little girl, and I.
    I really appreciate if u could help me.

    u can find me in viber/wahtsapp/…. at +60173483950

    Reply
  2. Hassan says

    August 20, 2015 at 2:36 am

    Dear Jeremy Jacobson,
    Hassan here, Im goin to move Taipei, Zhongshan city, for six months.
    Jus in case, could u help me to find out a one bedroom apartment, we r a family of 3, My wife, my little girl, and I.
    I really appreciate if u could help me.

    u can find me in viber/wahtsapp/…. at +60173483950

    Reply
  3. Tabitha says

    January 19, 2017 at 7:50 am

    Thanks, this will come in handy for my trip!

    Reply
  4. Holly says

    February 2, 2017 at 7:05 am

    Awesome resource.

    Reply
  5. Ralph says

    February 23, 2017 at 1:05 am

    Greetings! Very useful links here, many thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  6. Gilbert says

    March 2, 2017 at 1:05 am

    Just what I was looking for, thanks for this post.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Weekly Travel Newsletter

Sign up for the weekly travel newsletter for the latest posts, and a roundup of best travel reads from around the web.
Subscribe For Free Here [No spam, unsubscribe anytime.]

About Nomadic Notes

James Clark from Nomadic Notes

Hi, I’m James Clark, and I've been travelling the world since 2003 while running a location independent travel business. Nomadic Notes is a travel blog featuring travel guides and notes from my travels.

More about me and Nomadic Notes.

Follow Nomadic Notes

Recent Posts

  • Thailand islands guide: Every island where you can stay
  • Don Muang Airport Train: Getting the train from DMK to Central Bangkok
  • Bangkok to Pattaya by train
  • Notes on Udon Thani
  • Where to stay in Singapore: The best areas and notable hotels (2023)
  • Ornamental street signs of Thailand
  • Where to stay in Georgetown, Penang – The best area to stay and the pick of the hotels (2023)
  • Notes on Nakhon Phanom: Down by the river, and hanging out at Uncle Ho’s House
  • Where to stay in Da Nang – the best areas and most notable hotels (2023)
  • Where to stay in Hanoi: The best areas for first-time visitors

European Rail Travel

Eurail Pass Travel Guide

Europe Rail News – The new newsletter for train travel in Europe

Southeast Asia Rail Travel

Southeast Asia current and proposed railways

A complete guide to train travel in Southeast Asia

Featured Posts

Top 200 Travel Books
How to find cheap flights
Best new banks for travellers, expats, and nomads

About Nomadic Notes

About
Advertise
Contact
Contribute
Press/Media Mentions
Where I've Been

Search Nomadic Notes

Travel Notes

Travel Notes

Travel Resources

Long-term Travel
Travel Blog Directory
Travel Gear
Travel Insurance
Travel Sites

Where To Stay In…

Bangkok
Chiang Mai
Da Nang
Ho Chi Minh City
Hong Kong
Jakarta
Kuala Lumpur
Macau
Penang
Singapore

Travel Newsletter

Sign up for the weekly travel newsletter for the latest posts and a roundup of best travel reads from around the web.

Copyright © 2023 Nomadic Notes · Site Map | Privacy · Log in