Taiwan

Most remote workers in Taiwan choose between three options: a visa-free stay, the digital nomad visa or the Employment Gold Card.

Visa-free entry suits a first look. Most visa-exempt nationals, including those of the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Japan and most of Europe, can stay up to 90 days; some nationalities get 30 or 14 days (BOCA).

The Taiwan digital nomad visa suits visa-exempt nationals who want to stay longer while keeping foreign employers or clients. It starts at 6 months and can be extended to 2 years, and a spouse and children can come along. The income bar is lower for applicants in their 20s, and every applicant needs six months of bank statements showing an average of $10,000. It does not allow work for Taiwanese businesses and does not lead to residence.

The Employment Gold Card suits skilled professionals who want residence and the right to work locally. It combines visa, residence and an open work permit for up to three years, with family able to join.

Numbeo's figures for July and August 2026 show costs close to NT$24,000 to 27,000 a month for a single person before rent across the main cities, with rent making the difference.

• Taipei: about NT$27,100 before rent; a one-bedroom apartment costs about NT$27,600 in the center and NT$15,400 outside it, for a budget of NT$42,000 to 55,000 a month (Numbeo, August 2026).
• New Taipei City: about NT$25,800 before rent and one-bedroom rents of NT$11,000 to 20,200, for NT$37,000 to 46,000 (Numbeo, August 2026).
• Taichung: about NT$24,100 before rent and one-bedroom rents of NT$8,800 to 12,700, for NT$33,000 to 37,000 (Numbeo, July 2026).
• Kaohsiung: about NT$23,900 before rent and one-bedroom rents of NT$8,900 to 12,300, for NT$33,000 to 36,000 (Numbeo, July 2026).

Numbeo figures are crowd-sourced averages. Furnished short-term rentals usually cost more than the long-lease rents above.

• Taipei suits a first stay: the largest international community, the most coworking choice and an extensive metro. It has the highest rents.
• New Taipei City surrounds Taipei and suits those who want the capital's jobs and transit at lower rents.
• Taichung, in central Taiwan, suits those who want a mid-sized city with lower rents.
• Kaohsiung, the southern port city, suits those who want warm weather, a waterfront and lower rents.
• Tainan, the old capital, suits a slower pace with temples, food and a historic center.

Internet is fast: the Speedtest Global Index for August 2026 puts Taiwan's median fixed download at 316.21 Mbps and median mobile download at 168.34 Mbps (Speedtest). Fiber is widespread in the cities.

Taipei has the most coworking spaces, from international chains to independent community spaces, with day passes and monthly desks. Taichung, Kaohsiung and Tainan have smaller scenes, and cafes with outlets and Wi-Fi are common across the cities.

Prices change often, so compare current day-pass and monthly rates before committing.

A person without a home in Taiwan who stays 183 days or more in a calendar year is a resident taxpayer (Income Tax Act, Article 7). The digital nomad visa allows stays of up to 2 years, so long-stayers often cross that line.

Taiwan taxes income from Taiwan sources, and pay for work done while physically in Taiwan counts as Taiwan-source income even when it comes from abroad. The one exception is pay from a foreign employer to a non-resident who stays no more than 90 days in the tax year (Income Tax Act, Article 8).

No special tax regime applies to digital nomad visa holders. Points to check: how many days fall in each calendar year, whether a tax treaty or agreement with the home country applies, and how the home country treats income earned while abroad.

• Currency: the New Taiwan dollar (NT$). Cards work in chains and larger shops, but night markets and small eateries often take cash only.
• Health insurance: digital nomad visa holders need private health and full hospitalization cover for the whole stay (BOCA).
• Applying from Taiwan: visa-exempt visitors who decide to stay longer can file the nomad visa in Taiwan at least 10 working days before their visa-free stay ends.
• SIM and eSIM: the main mobile operators sell prepaid SIM cards at the international airports and in city stores, and eSIM plans are available.
• Transit: stored-value cards such as EasyCard work on metro systems, buses and in convenience stores.
• Banking: Taiwanese banks may ask for a resident certificate, so short-stay visitors tend to rely on foreign cards and multi-currency accounts.
• Language: Mandarin is the main language; English is common among younger people and in Taipei but less so elsewhere.