Plenty of people visit Taipei and start wondering what it would be like to stay. We know the feeling. Vicky and Jason both lived in Taipei for years, renting the whole time.
Our story, briefly
We did look at buying in Taipei. After a lot of research and a long, hard look at the prices, we realized the city we really loved was Tainan, and that's where we live now.
What we loved most about living here:
- The MRT. It's amazing and so convenient. Almost anywhere you want to go is a short walk from a station.
- The buses. Friendly for visitors and easy to navigate, and they fill in everywhere the MRT doesn't reach.
- All the shows and the restaurants. Concerts, theater and so many places to eat. → Shows and nightlife · Food
→ Living in Tainan (on Inside Tainan)
Renting in Taipei: the basics
We aren't agents and we don't rent out or sell property. This is what we know, with the sources.
- Where to look. Most listings are on sites like 591, where you can filter by district, size and price. The site is in Chinese, so a browser translation tool helps.
- Deposit. By law, a residential deposit can't be more than two months' rent. At the end of the lease the landlord returns it, minus anything you still owe (Rental Housing Market Development and Regulation Act, article 7).
- Repairs. The landlord must keep the home fit to live in and explain, before you sign, which repairs they are responsible for and how to reach them. If they agree to a repair and don't do it in a reasonable time, you can have it done and recover the cost from them, including by deducting it from the rent (article 8).
- Agents. If you rent through an agent, ask up front what fee you will pay.
- Live by the MRT. It's the thing that made Taipei life easy for us. Check the walk from the door to the station.
- See it in person if you can, at different times of day, and ask what's included in the rent.
Check for yourself. This is what we learned and what official sources said when we checked (October 2026). It isn't legal or financial advice. Rules and prices change. Read the lease carefully, and talk to a licensed agent or a lawyer before you commit.
Moving with kids?
School holidays come around fast. Camps.Asia keeps a verified list of kids' camps in Taipei, with a separate list for New Taipei.
Visiting first?
The best way to pick a neighborhood is to stay in it for a few days. → Where to stay in Taipei · Neighborhoods · The MRT
Sources
Deposit cap and repairs: Rental Housing Market Development and Regulation Act (租賃住宅市場發展及管理條例), articles 7 and 8, Laws and Regulations Database of Taiwan. Listings: 591. Checked October 2026.