Best places to retire in Taiwan
Top retirement cities in Taiwan
- Nantou — retire score 65/100 (cost 50, climate 94, safety 56)
- Chiayi City — retire score 63/100 (cost 48, climate 92, safety 55)
- Douliu — retire score 63/100 (cost 50, climate 88, safety 56)
- Taoyuan — retire score 61/100 (cost 46, climate 88, safety 55)
- Banqiao — retire score 61/100 (cost 46, climate 89, safety 52)
- Zhubei — retire score 61/100 (cost 48, climate 84, safety 55)
- Taitung — retire score 61/100 (cost 50, climate 79, safety 57)
- Hsinchu — retire score 60/100 (cost 47, climate 84, safety 54)
- Keelung — retire score 60/100 (cost 47, climate 84, safety 53)
- Chang-hua — retire score 60/100 (cost 48, climate 80, safety 55)
- Taichung — retire score 59/100 (cost 42, climate 86, safety 54)
- New Taipei City — retire score 58/100 (cost 42, climate 89, safety 50)
Why these cities rank for retirement in Taiwan
The retire score weights affordability at 40%, climate comfort at 30% and safety at 30%, because fixed-income retirees feel cost most, then weather, then security. In Taiwan, Nantou leads at 65/100 — cost 50, climate 94, safety 56 — while Nantou is the most affordable base (cost 50/100). Cost is anchored to Taiwan's World Bank price level, climate to WorldClim normals (so you can judge whether winters and summers suit you), and safety blends natural-disaster exposure with crime. Two things our score deliberately omits — healthcare quality and retirement-visa eligibility — are decisive for retirees, so treat this as the affordability-climate-safety shortlist and verify health cover and residency rules for Taiwan separately before you commit.
The shortlist, by the numbers
Nantou scores 65/100 (cost 50, climate 94, safety 56; warmest-month highs ~25.1°C, coldest-month lows ~14.5°C). Chiayi City scores 63/100 (cost 48, climate 92, safety 55; warmest-month highs ~25.5°C, coldest-month lows ~15.0°C). Douliu scores 63/100 (cost 50, climate 88, safety 56; warmest-month highs ~26.3°C, coldest-month lows ~15.1°C). Taoyuan scores 61/100 (cost 46, climate 88, safety 55; warmest-month highs ~26.4°C, coldest-month lows ~13.6°C). Each balances the three retirement levers differently — Nantou leads overall, while a city like Nantou wins purely on budget — so rank them by what your pension stretches to and the climate your health prefers.
FAQ
Where is the best place to retire in Taiwan?
Nantou ranks highest in our retirement score (65/100), balancing affordability, mild climate and safety.
Is Taiwan a good place to retire?
Taiwan's best retirement city scores 65/100; the most affordable is Nantou (cost 50/100). We weigh cost, climate and natural-disaster + crime safety — not healthcare or visas, which you should check separately.
What's the cheapest place to retire in Taiwan?
Nantou has the lowest cost of living in Taiwan in our data.