How to be on a budget in Taipei, Taiwan?

By Alexandra Velez (2024 Spring-term student in Taipei)

There is an obvious but easily forgettable tip: live locally! There is great benefit for moving through the streets and observe the life around you, especially the habits of people you pass everyday. You will see that there are no tricks to being cheap, other than actually living day to day. So the first focus is getting around: there is a reason for the public transportation system- which is easy to budget for if you know where you're going and planning to go. Walking is also always the best option if you want to memorize where you live and find new places you can’t find only using the MRT.  Taipei’s transport system is very affordable and immaculate, with the minimum fees of 20-30 NTD to get to each end of any line, or 15 NTD for any bus fare. Buying and EasyCard does exactly what its name says- it makes everything easier! You just tap, swipe, and you're on your way to where you need to go- including the YouBike system and the Maokong gondola for leisure reasons or actual transportation! Buying an easy card is as easy as it is to use- you can get it at one of the 6,500 7-11 convenience stores in the country. The fee is only 100 NTD, and from then on you can refill it as much as you want/need to. The YouBikes are free for up to 30 minutes and 10 per half hour after that, and can be found at any corner of a block. 

As for food, there is nothing better than making your own! Get creative with rice and meat recipes, buy frozen foods that you can turn into your own Taiwanese cuisine, or buy pounds and pounds of ramen and noodles to eat whenever you need to! But notably, there is also fair game in joining the ranks of getting cheap food on any corner, every couple meters, and anywhere else you can! There are so many various unassuming spots that operate until 11pm most nights.

All you need to do is search online for your nearest "夜市 (night market)" and join the big party it is to grab food on your walk home! There is no way you can skip on having a daily bubble tea for as low as 35 NTD, or a handmade bun for 25 NTD! This way you can find your favorite places and budget to go there every day! Make sure you buy all the domestic fruit you can find locally and in-season for the lowest prices, including mango, watermelon and pineapple, wax apple and custard apple, and the famous dragon fruits- all for no more than 100 NTD per bag or couple of big fruits!

Lastly, to get the cultural experience you need, go out during the weekdays! There is no need to wait for the weekend crowds to come in if you can take time during your weekday to go to all the famous places- including the Chang Kai-Shek memorial, Taipei 101, and all the museums around you. By traveling on a weekday, there are cheaper prices for admission, maybe even getting better seats and spots than you usually would on popular public services such as Pingxi Old Railway and trains running towards Keelung, Fulong Beach and Jiufen village. If you really want to see Taipei for free though: My recommendation is the Elephant Mountain. Just a 20-minute walk from Taipei 101 or five minutes from Xiangshan MRT station, it will transport you to a steep jungle track toward an exceptional view with 101 in the center, framed by forest and mountains.

Happy travels!