Residence, house-share or studio: prices, neighbourhoods, budget and steps for finding student housing in Taipei.
In Taipei, a student has three options: the university residence, a room in a house-share off campus and a studio on their own. The residence is the cheapest but places are scarce. House-sharing offers the best compromise: National Taiwan University (NTU) estimates off-campus housing at 48,000 to 72,000 Taiwan dollars (TWD) per four-month semester, or 12,000 to 18,000 TWD per month. A studio on your own costs more, especially in the central neighbourhoods.
This guide compares the three options, gives the prices published by NTU, the neighbourhoods to consider and the steps to plan for (visa, resident card, insurance) so you can settle in without unpleasant surprises.
NTU alone hosts more than 7,000 international students from more than 90 countries, including more than 3,300 in degree programmes. Europeans make up 9.5% of these students. For housing, the consequence is simple: residence places are limited, NTU guarantees no room, and a good share of international students have to search on the private market.
Most universities offer rooms on campus or nearby. The example of NTU, Taipei's largest university, gives an idea of the rules and prices. Its international office warns that places are limited and recommends searching off campus even after requesting a room.
NTU's options and their rates, which may change each year:
A few rules to know before applying. Rooms are single-sex and roommates are assigned at random. Housing is open only to enrolled students, not their families. At Prince House, the contract is generally for one year, with two months' rent as a security deposit, and leaving early costs one month's rent, except at the end of studies or exchange. Electricity is billed separately there. The allocation result arrives about a month before the start of term.
In practice, tick the housing option when you apply, because you will not be able to change it afterwards, and prepare an off-campus search in parallel.
A shared flat is the most common solution when the residence does not work out. The budget of 12,000 to 18,000 TWD per month used by NTU corresponds to this type of housing. Local listing platforms are mostly in Chinese: 591.com.tw is the main reference for renting in Taiwan.
What to plan for at signing:
Leases are written in Mandarin Chinese. Have every clause (term, notice period, early departure conditions, return of the deposit) reviewed by someone who reads Chinese before signing.
NTU's Student Safety Center offers an off-campus housing safety service. You register the landlord's name and phone number and the address of the home; the team gives advice on the rental and can check the conditions of the home with the landlord. If your university offers a similar service, use it before committing.
Living alone costs noticeably more. A studio or one-bedroom apartment rents for 20,000 to 45,000 TWD per month in the central neighborhoods (Da’an, Xinyi, Zhongzheng) and from 12,000 TWD in more outlying areas such as Neihu, Wenshan or Muzha. The deposit and utilities follow the same rules as for a room.
The choice depends first on your campus and the metro line that serves it. For NTU, the reference station is Gongguan, on the Songshan-Xindian line. A few pointers:
The NTU student card works like an EasyCard, usable on the metro and for YouBike bike sharing, found near every metro station. From Taoyuan airport, count about 1 hour 15 minutes and 200 TWD to Gongguan by combining the airport metro and the Taipei metro, or about an hour and 1,300 TWD by taxi.
NTU publishes an estimate of the cost of living per four-month semester, excluding tuition fees:
Add the security deposit, to be advanced at signing, as well as a margin for the first setup purchases. At Prince House, for example, the bed is provided without a mattress.
If your budget is tight and you arrive for a semester or a year, aim first for the university residence and apply as soon as you apply to the university. If you want more freedom or the residence turns you down, an off-campus shared flat is the most realistic option, provided you have the lease reviewed. A studio on your own is justified for a long stay, with a noticeably higher budget.
In every case, start early, keep a temporary solution for your first nights and visit before paying the deposit. If you do not read Chinese or are searching from France, a Remoters home finder based in Taipei can search for a room or studio for you, visit, build your application and review the lease. The first conversation and the quote are free.
Short answers to the questions our readers ask, written to stand on their own.
Sources cited in this article
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