GeoRealityMatch
Tranquil reflection of traditional architecture and bridge in Beihai Park, Beijing.China
A beautiful night cityscape of Taipei with Taipei 101 illuminated against the skyline.Taiwan

Compare countries · China vs Taiwan

China vs Taiwan

ChinaEastern AsiaTaiwanEastern Asia

China is cheaper (cost of living 30.5 vs 49.7).Taiwan is more peaceful (Global Peace Index 1.751 vs 2.231).

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Safety

Taiwan is the more peaceful

Global Peace Indexlower is more peaceful
China2.231Medium safety#117 of 161IEP GPI · 2026
Taiwan1.751High safety#42 of 161IEP GPI · 2026
Homicidesper 100,000 people a year
China0.5Very lowUNODC / World Bank · 2020
TaiwanNo figure from UNODC / World Bank
Safety indexNumbeo's safety index, higher is safer
China76.9Very highNumbeo · 2026
Taiwan83Very highNumbeo · 2026
UK travel adviceFCDO, for British travellers
ChinaNo advice against travelFCDO foreign travel advice, GOV.UK · read 2026-10-12
TaiwanNo advice against travelFCDO foreign travel advice, GOV.UK · read 2026-10-12
Money

Flats cost fewer years of income in China

Property price to incomeyears of median income to buy a median flat
China21.5Very expensiveNumbeo · 2026
Taiwan25.3Very expensiveNumbeo · 2026
GNI per personnational income per person, US dollars
China$14,230HighWorld Bank · 2025
TaiwanNo figure from World Bank
Cost of living indexexcluding rent, New York = 100
China30.5Very affordableNumbeo · 2026
Taiwan49.7AffordableNumbeo · 2026
Rent indexNew York = 100
China10.4AffordableNumbeo · 2026
Taiwan14.2ModerateNumbeo · 2026
Health
Life expectancyyears, at birth
China78.0HighWorld Bank · 2024
TaiwanNo figure from World Bank
Health coverageWHO universal health coverage index, 0 to 100
China85Very highWHO · 2023
TaiwanNo figure from WHO
Air pollutionPM2.5, micrograms per cubic metre, national average
China31.6Very highWHO · 2023
TaiwanNo figure from WHO
Work and internet

Broadband is faster in Taiwan

Fixed broadbandmedian download speed
China212 MbpsVery fast#27 of 149Ookla Speedtest · 2025
Taiwan269 MbpsVery fast#15 of 149Ookla Speedtest · 2025
English proficiencyEF English Proficiency Index score
China464LowEF EPI · 2025
TaiwanNo figure from EF EPI
How it changed

Human development: China 0.797

China

UNDP Human Development Report, 1990–2023.

Year by year:ChinaTaiwan

Practical facts

Capital
Beijing
Taipei
Population
1.41B (2025)
—
Languages
Chinese
Chinese
Currency
Chinese yuan (CNY)
New Taiwan dollar (TWD)
Area
9,388,210 km²
—
Plug type
Type A/I
Type A/B
Drives on the
right
right
Short visit
Visa-free for EU; visa needed for UK and US
Visa-free for UK, EU and US passports

Short visits: passport-index-dataset, 2024, for UK, EU (German) and US passports. Population and area: World Bank. Languages, currency and driving side: restcountries.com. Plug types: worldstandards.eu.

Every figure

China and Taiwan, side by side

The same figures as a facts file

Quick answers

Is China cheaper than Taiwan?

Numbeo's 2026 cost-of-living index (NYC = 100) puts China at 30.5 and Taiwan at 49.7. China is about 39% cheaper overall.

Is China or Taiwan safer?

On the Global Peace Index (lower = more peaceful), China scores 2.23 and Taiwan scores 1.75. Taiwan ranks as the more peaceful of the two.

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Every figure is sourced where it is shown. A dash means the country has no figure from that source.Photographs by zhang kaiyv, Jimmy Liao on Pexels