Retire To Taiwan: The 5 Best Places To Retire In Taiwan


Have you dreamt of retiring in a nice east asian country with great healthcare! Taiwan might be the best country for you with an active art and theatre scene, well preserved temples and an existing large expat community. 

The Best 5 Cities To Retire In Taiwan are:

  • Taipei
  • Tainan
  • Taichung
  • Kaohsiung
  • Hualien City

If I haven’t convinced you yet, read on to discover what makes Taiwan special and learn about some of the best places to retire within the country.

Is Taiwan a good place to retire?

Population: 23.6 million
Climate: 23°C to 26°C / 74°F to 80°F
Capital city: Taipei City
Currency: New Taiwan Dollar
Language: Mandarin Chinese

Although Taiwan has a relatively high cost of living, it also offers an excellent, top notch affordable healthcare system, and tons of natural beauty as well as a high standard of living. There are a large number of expats in Taiwan, including about 5,000 from the United States. 

The country is safe and has modern facilities that are among the greatest in the world. It also has well-kept and efficient public transportation both within and outside of the city. Taiwan also possesses numerous international airports in a number of major cities that offer direct international flights to and from all over the world.

If you do not speak any Mandarin, you will be able to get by just fine since there are plenty of expats and educated locals in the major cities that could help. If you are planning to retire to somewhere more rural then a basic understanding of mandarin will be needed.

If you want to get started with Mandarin you can use the Duolingo app or website that is on both the Google Play store and iTunes store.  Alternatively, you could listen to books on Amazons Audible, enrol in a local class before you leave your home country or on arrival in Taiwan.  There are also heaps of other online courses you could do as well like on Udemy.

Taiwan is a very safe country with very low crime rates. This country is home to expats from all over the world, including a big English-speaking community. Taiwan is a great choice when it comes to retirement destinations as it has a fair cost of living, fantastic weather and healthcare, nice people and lots of culture.

What are the best cities to live in?

Whether you like small towns or busy city living, Taiwan has you covered.  Below you will find some places you might want to think about with the basic information you have to know.

Is Taipei a good place to retire?

Temperature: 21°C to 31°C / 70°F to 88°F
Population: 7.9 million

Taipei is Taiwan’s capital and one of the country’s most populated cities. This city has a wide range of activities to suit everyone. If you can not stand long winters like those in europe, then Taiwan with its minimum of 13°C or 55°F in the middle of winter will be just what you are looking for.

What To Do in Taipei:

Popular Restaurants in Taipei:

Is Tainan a good place to retire?

Temperature: 23°C to 30°C / 73°F to 86°F
Population: 771k 

Are you looking for a place that’s calm and not too crowded? Or are you looking for a relaxing city near the beach with plenty of hot springs to calm your nerves during your retirement? Then Tainan is the perfect place for you! Fun fact, Tainan is also known as the oldest city and the former capital of Taiwan  This means there is heaps of culture and history in the city as well.  As well as maintaining thier history they also have great infrastructure like the rest of Taiwan. 

What To Do in Tainan:

TIP: Some of these websites are in Mandarin. If you open the website in google chrome you can use the built in translation to change it to English.

Popular Restaurants in Tainan:

Is Tichung a good place to retire?

Temperature: 25°C to 31°C / 78°F to 88°F
Population: 1 million

Taichung is a Taiwanese city on the west coast. This city is bordered by mountains and beaches and is becoming increasingly popular among expats. Some of the most magnificent natural waterways including the Da’an River and 2 other major rivers as well as  beaches may be found in this city as well as plenty of natural landscape to relax after a long day. 

The abundance of waterways also makes this a big agricultural area with plenty of fresh produce.  This combined with all the amenities you would normally be used to in a bigger city without being overcrowded.

What To Do in Taichung:

Popular Restaurants in Taichung:

Is Kaohsiung a good place to retire?

Temperature: 15°C to 30°C / 59°F to 86°F 
Population: 1.5 million

Kaohsiung is a large port city in southern taiwan. It has many skyscrapers, including the 248-meter-high Tuntex Sky Tower, and is famous for its multitude of different parks. The Love River operates as the city’s center point, with walking trails and cafes lining its banks and cruise boats sailing alongside its waters.  This means there are always plenty of places for afternoon walks.

What To Do in Kaohsiung:

Popular Restaurants in Kaohsiung:

Is Hualien City a good place to retire?

Temperature: 19°C to 25°C / 66°F to 77°F 
Population: 107.000

Hualien is located on Taiwan’s east coast. The Pine Garden in the heart of the city is a cultural center in a former Japanese military post. Contemporary and traditional stone carvings are on display in the Hualien County Stone Sculpture Museum. 

Tzu Chi Cultural Park is a peaceful green environment that includes statues and a meditation hall. Nanbin Park on the Pacific Ocean shore is home to a popular night market. Hualien is a national scenic area because of its natural beauty.

What To Do in Kaohsiung:

Popular Restaurants in Kaohsiung:

Do not forget to check Retire To Taiwan: The Costs Of Living and discover all you have to know.

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