Taipei Lost! The County with the Highest Rent in Taiwan: Median at NT$13,000, New Builds 20% Pricier

Taiwan's rental market remained stable in the first half of this year, with rents showing only a slight upward trend and no significant surge. On the 13th, the Ministry of the Interior released the 'First Half of 2026 Rental Statistics.' The national median total rent was NT$8,600, an increase of NT$100 from NT$8,500 in September 2025, representing a modest 1.2% rise. By county and city, New Taipei City topped the list with a median of NT$13,000, followed by Taipei City at NT$12,500 and Taoyuan City at NT$10,000.

This statistical report used valid rental contracts under the rent subsidy program as of the end of March 2026 as its sample, totaling 833,000 cases—an increase of 116,000 from the previous period. The Ministry of the Interior noted that, when observing all 293 townships, cities, and districts across Taiwan, over 80% showed no increase in median rent, indicating that the overall rental market remains relatively stable without widespread sharp increases.

The national median rent rose from NT$8,500 to NT$8,600, a mere 1.2% increase. Since over 80% of administrative areas did not experience rent hikes, the Ministry concluded that the current rental market remains relatively stable, with no signs of a broad, significant surge.

The county-level rent rankings maintained their previous order: New Taipei City led with NT$13,000, Taipei City followed at NT$12,500, and Taoyuan City ranked third at NT$10,000—top three all concentrated in northern metropolitan areas.

New Builds Command 20%+ Premium Over Older Units; Elevator Apartments Widen the Gap

Another highlight of this report is the first-ever detailed breakdown of rent differences by building age and floor level.

Lin Chia-cheng, Director-General of the Land Administration Department at the Ministry of the Interior, stated that by building age, newly completed units (within 5 years) have the highest rents, exceeding those of mid-aged units (6–30 years) by over 20%. Mid-aged units, in turn, rent for about 10–20% more than older buildings over 30 years.

Building type also affects rent. The statistics further categorized buildings into those under 5 floors without elevators and those above 6 floors, distinguishing between apartments and elevator-equipped high-rises. The results show that elevator apartments command rents approximately 20% higher than walk-up apartments, underscoring that building age, amenities, and living convenience remain key factors influencing rent.

First-Ever Release of Per-Unit Rent Prices: Enables Comparison of Whole Units and Private Rooms

In addition to total rent, the Ministry introduced 'rent per unit area' statistics for the first time, providing per-ping rental rates for entire units (floors) and private rooms.

Lin explained that rent per unit is calculated by dividing the total rent by the exclusive floor area of the unit, excluding common areas, thus offering the public another benchmark for comparing rental prices across different properties.

However, for subdivided rooms and shared bedrooms (yafang), since market transactions are typically priced per room and actual usable areas may involve shared spaces like living rooms or dining areas with inconsistent allocation methods across cases, these were excluded from the per-unit rent statistics to avoid measurement bias.

Median Rent Subsidy Rate at 41%: Government Covers More for Vulnerable Tenants

In addition to rental market trends, the Ministry also released the ratio of rent subsidies to actual rent. Statistics show the national median subsidy rate is 41%.

Wu Pei-hsuan, Director of the Statistics Division, gave an example: for a tenant paying NT$9,000 per month, the government subsidy would be approximately NT$3,600 based on the median rate. For economically disadvantaged households, the government’s share can be further increased to NT$4,800.

The Ministry emphasized that by separately presenting rent data for new constructions this time, it can monitor whether more new builds or vacant units are entering the rental market, thereby increasing housing supply and moving toward a more stable rental market.

Complete rental statistics are now available on the Ministry of the Interior’s Real Estate Information Platform and the Land Administration Department’s website under the Rental Regulations section. The public can search by administrative district, building age, and building type to inform rental decisions and rent negotiations.

Source: Ministry of the Interior, Land Administration Department, Taiwan - Rental Regulations Section Editor: Wei Fu-Cheng