Kaohsiung
Taiwan · Asia · 2.8M people
Taiwan's southern port city, warmer and cheaper than Taipei.
Ranked #18 of 303 overall · 22.63, 120.30
Overview
Kaohsiung, Taiwan, is home to about 2.8 million residents and has built a reputation that goes beyond its size. Kaohsiung is coastal, with the sea shaping daily life and the local economy. Part of its draw is that it's genuinely affordable to live in. People who choose to settle in Kaohsiung tend to point to a genuinely affordable cost of living, a strong sense of safety, and a climate most people find easy to live with as the deciding factors. Against its 76 tracked peers in Asia, Kaohsiung's 7.6/10 overall score sits 1.1 points above the regional average of 6.5. On CityMatch, Kaohsiung scores 7.6/10 overall across cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet, ranking #18 of 303 cities in our database. Its strongest single criterion is safety at 9/10, while environment & air quality is its softest spot at 6/10 — the full breakdown, honest trade-offs, and who this city actually suits are below.
Full scorecard
Comfortable on a moderate budget.
Consistently rated among the safer picks.
No major pollution concerns on average.
Workable without being exceptional.
Reasonably comfortable year-round.
A strong pick if healthcare matters most to you.
Fast, reliable connectivity.
Is Kaohsiung right for you?
Set your own priorities and see where it ranks against every city in the dataset.
Run the recommender →How are these scores calculated?
Every city on CityMatch is scored 1-10 on seven criteria — cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet — and those seven numbers are combined into the overall score shown throughout the site using a consistent, automated formula (an equal-weighted average by default, or your own weighting via the recommender tool). The same method is applied identically to every city, so scores are comparable across the full database.
Sources & data provenance
The current dataset is an internally curated starter dataset built for this version of the site, reflecting each city's general reputation on each criterion rather than a live feed from a single external provider. It is not yet sourced from a specific third-party API. If that changes, this section will be updated to name the exact sources in use.
Last updated: 17 July 2026
Strengths & trade-offs
Strengths
A 9/10 safety score puts Kaohsiung among the more reassuring cities to walk around, day or night.
Internet and connectivity score 9/10, making remote work a non-issue rather than a workaround.
Healthcare scores 8/10, a meaningful factor for families, retirees, or anyone planning to stay long-term.
Trade-offs
Environment and air quality sits at 6/10, comparatively the softest of Kaohsiung's scores though still a reasonable baseline.
Cost of living is Kaohsiung's comparatively softest spot at 7/10 — still a workable budget, just not its standout strength.
Is Kaohsiung safe?
Kaohsiung scores 9/10 on safety — one of the more reassuring cities in our database. Most residents and visitors report feeling comfortable with ordinary city awareness rather than specific precautions.
At night
Walking at night is generally low-stress here, though sticking to lit, populated streets is always sensible advice anywhere.
For tourists
Tourists rarely report serious issues beyond the ordinary pickpocket risk that exists in any well-visited city — normal vigilance in crowded areas is enough.
For families
Combined with a healthcare score of 8/10 and environment score of 6/10, Kaohsiung looks like a genuinely solid pick for raising a family.
For solo travelers
Cities scoring this well on safety (9/10) are generally considered comfortable for solo travelers, though — as anywhere — checking current, specific local advice before a trip is always worth the ten minutes it takes.
On public transport
Public transport feels safe here too — safety (9/10) and transport quality (7/10) are both strong, a combination that generally makes getting around without a car low-stress.
Practical tips
- →Standard city awareness is genuinely enough here — no need for unusual precautions.
- →Keep half an eye on belongings in busy tourist spots, the same as anywhere.
What's the climate like in Kaohsiung?
Climate here (7/10) is comfortably in the "fine, not exceptional" range — a normal seasonal cycle rather than anything punishing.
Seasonal character
Expect a normal four-season rhythm (or a wet/dry split closer to the equator), without extremes dominating the calendar.
Comfort level
Comfort is generally good, with the odd day or short stretch that calls for planning ahead rather than year-round ease.
Best time to live here
Shoulder-season months (spring and autumn, broadly) tend to be the safest bet if you can choose when to visit or move.
Note: this reflects our single aggregate 1-10 climate score rather than month-by-month temperature, humidity or rainfall data, which we don't currently track — treat it as a general read rather than a forecast.
Quality of life in Kaohsiung
Put together, quality of life in Kaohsiung is shaped less by any single number and more by the combination: kaohsiung doesn't lean strongly toward any particular pace — it's neither a nightlife-driven city nor a notably sleepy one, more of a middle-ground, live-and-let-live kind of place, paired with an outdoor/environment picture that's generally favorable and transport that's genuinely workable.
Pace & lifestyle
Kaohsiung doesn't lean strongly toward any particular pace — it's neither a nightlife-driven city nor a notably sleepy one, more of a middle-ground, live-and-let-live kind of place.
Nature & outdoors
Outdoor time is reasonably pleasant, with environment (6/10) and climate (7/10) scores that don't get in the way, without being a specific draw either.
Getting around
Transport (7/10) covers most needs reasonably well, with occasional gaps a bike or rideshare fills in easily.
Culture & leisure
Kaohsiung isn't specifically marketed on culture or nightlife in our data, which usually means a more everyday, less tourist-oriented pace of life — good for routine, less exciting for a short visit.
Based on its actual score profile, Kaohsiung tends to suit people who prioritize safety and internet & connectivity over environment & air quality — see "Who Kaohsiung suits" above for the specific profiles that fit best.
How clean is Kaohsiung?
Environment scores 6/10 here, solidly average: no particular pollution concern, but not a headline strength either.
Public spaces
Public space quality isn't separately measured in our data; the environment score above is the closest proxy we have, and it points to an unremarkable, workable baseline.
Infrastructure maintenance
General infrastructure maintenance isn't a criterion we score independently, so treat any specific claims about road quality, public bins, or graffiti with caution unless they come from a recent, first-hand source.
The "environment" score behind all of this is CityMatch's single combined measure of air quality and general environmental conditions — 10 meaning consistently clean air, 1 meaning significant pollution. It doesn't separately break out waste management, noise, or visual upkeep, which aren't part of our current dataset.
Who Kaohsiung suits
Freelancer
Freelancers — independent workers balancing cost of living against healthcare access (fit score 7.6/10 here).
Budget-conscious mover
Budget-conscious movers — movers for whom affordability outweighs every other factor (fit score 7.5/10 here).
Retiree
Retirees — retirees prioritizing healthcare, climate and a calm environment over nightlife or internet speed (fit score 7.4/10 here).
Expat
Expats — expatriates relocating for work who lean on safety, healthcare and internet to stay settled and connected (fit score 7.8/10 here).
In depth
Cost of living
At 7/10 for cost of living, Kaohsiung lands in a middle ground where costs are manageable without being a bargain.
Safety
At 9/10 on our safety score, Kaohsiung ranks among the more secure cities we track, which tends to matter most for families and first-time movers.
Climate
Weather here (7/10) is reasonably pleasant most of the year, with a normal seasonal cycle rather than anything punishing.
Quality of life
What stands out about Kaohsiung is how even its scorecard is — no criterion drags the average down much, giving a global score of 7.6/10 built on safety as the high point and environment & air quality as the lowest. The average across all seven criteria is 7.6/10.
Transport
At 7/10 for transport, Kaohsiung covers the basics reasonably well without being a transit showcase.
Internet & remote work
At 9/10 for internet, Kaohsiung is squarely in "video-call without worrying about it" territory.
Why choose Kaohsiung?
Kaohsiung is a strong, well-rounded pick at 7.6/10 overall — safety stands out most, and even its comparatively softest criterion (environment & air quality) is still a solid, workable score rather than a real downside.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Kaohsiung safe?
Yes — Kaohsiung scores 9/10 on safety, among the higher end of the 303 cities we track. Normal city awareness is enough for most visitors and residents.
What budget do I need to live in Kaohsiung?
Kaohsiung scores 7/10 on cost of living — a moderate budget is enough for a comfortable lifestyle, without it being a bargain destination.
Is Kaohsiung good for families?
Kaohsiung works well for families: safety (9/10), healthcare (8/10) and environment (6/10) average out to a strong combination for raising kids.
Is Kaohsiung a good city for students?
Kaohsiung isn't specifically known as a student hub, but its affordability (7/10) and transport (7/10) scores make it a workable option.
Is Kaohsiung suitable for digital nomads?
Kaohsiung isn't specifically marketed to remote workers, but the fundamentals are there: internet scores 9/10 and cost of living 7/10.
What's the climate like in Kaohsiung?
Kaohsiung scores 7/10 on climate — a normal seasonal mix without real extremes.
Is Kaohsiung pleasant to live in year-round?
Largely yes — with a climate score of 7/10 and an environment (air quality) score of 6/10, Kaohsiung holds up well across seasons.
Is Kaohsiung a good choice for a first move abroad?
It's a reasonable choice for a first move: safety, healthcare, transport and environment average out to 7.5/10 here, a fairly forgiving combination for someone settling in for the first time.
Is the internet good enough for remote work in Kaohsiung?
Yes — Kaohsiung scores 9/10 on internet and connectivity, comfortably enough for video calls and day-to-day remote work.
Is Kaohsiung a good place to retire?
It has real appeal for retirees: healthcare, climate and safety average out to 8.0/10 here — the three criteria that tend to matter most for that stage of life.
What are good alternatives to Kaohsiung?
Based on continent, tags and overall score, Busan and Fukuoka are the closest matches to Kaohsiung in our database — worth comparing directly if you're still deciding.
Is Kaohsiung worth living in?
On balance, yes — Kaohsiung's overall score of 7.6/10 is among the stronger all-round profiles in our 303-city database, without one glaring weakness dragging it down.
Who should move to Kaohsiung?
Based on its score profile, Kaohsiung suits people who value safety and internet & connectivity more than the average mover — see the "Who Kaohsiung suits" section above for the specific profiles (families, digital nomads, students, etc.) that fit best.
Is Kaohsiung walkable, and is public transport good?
Reasonably — Kaohsiung scores 7/10 on transport, covering most day-to-day needs without being a standout transit city.
What's the biggest advantage of living in Kaohsiung?
Safety is Kaohsiung's standout strength, scoring 9/10 — the highest of its seven criteria on CityMatch.
What's the biggest downside of living in Kaohsiung?
Environment & air quality is the clearest trade-off, scoring just 6/10 — the lowest of Kaohsiung's seven criteria, and worth weighing against its strengths.