The neighbourhoods
Da'an (大安)
NT$25,000-45,000/mo furnished 1-bed (US$780-1,400)The leafy, walkable heart of central Taipei — Da'an Forest Park, Yongkang Street's food, specialty coffee and the densest MRT coverage. The default expat and professional choice.
Commute: Central; multiple MRT lines (Da'an, Technology Building, Guting); 10-20 min to most of the city.
- The best café, food and park density in the city
- Superb MRT coverage and walkability
- Safe, green and genuinely central — the easiest landing pad
- Among the priciest districts for what you get
- Popular, so good furnished flats go fast
Xinyi (信義)
NT$28,000-55,000/mo furnished 1-bed (US$870-1,720)Taipei's glossy modern core — Taipei 101, department stores, rooftop bars and the newest high-rise apartments. Polished, pricey and business-forward.
Commute: East-central; Blue and Red MRT lines; walk to the financial district and malls.
- Newest buildings with gyms, lifts and modern fit-outs
- Walk to offices, nightlife and Elephant Mountain
- Prestige address and great amenities
- The most expensive part of the city
- Can feel corporate and quiet at street level outside the malls
Zhongshan (中山)
NT$22,000-38,000/mo furnished 1-bed (US$690-1,190)Central, stylish and a touch bohemian — design hotels, izakayas, galleries and the Linsen Park area, wedged between the station and the river. A nomad sweet spot.
Commute: Central; Red and Green MRT lines; walk to Taipei Main Station and Datong.
- Central and well-connected at a notch below Da'an prices
- Great bars, cafés and an arty, walkable feel
- Easy hop to the main station and the airport MRT
- Busy main roads and some older buildings
- Pockets near Linsen N. Rd are nightlife-loud
Minsheng Community (民生社區)
NT$22,000-35,000/mo furnished 1-bed (US$690-1,090)Taipei's calm, tree-lined garden suburb — low-rise blocks, leafy lanes, independent cafés and a village feel, beloved by families and creatives.
Commute: North-east (Songshan); near Songshan Airport; Green/Brown MRT a short walk or bus; ~20 min to centre.
- Unusually green, low-rise and peaceful for Taipei
- Strong café and brunch scene without the crowds
- Family-friendly and good value for the space
- Not directly on top of an MRT station (some walking/buses)
- Quieter nightlife — you'll travel for late nights
Tianmu (天母)
NT$28,000-60,000/mo (US$870-1,870; houses larger)The traditional international enclave up north — international schools, larger homes, a Western-leaning grocery scene and a slower, suburban pace under Yangmingshan.
Commute: Far north (Shilin); NOT on the MRT — relies on buses/taxi; 30-40 min to downtown.
- Most space and greenery; international schools nearby
- Established expat-family community and amenities
- Calm, safe and close to Yangmingshan hikes
- No MRT station — the big trade-off; commutes are long
- Far from the central nightlife and nomad scene
Banqiao & the New Taipei MRT belt (板橋)
NT$16,000-28,000/mo furnished 1-bed (US$500-870)The value play across the river — modern New Taipei high-rises around a major transit hub, with far more apartment for your money.
Commute: New Taipei; Banqiao is a high-speed-rail + MRT + TRA hub; ~20-30 min to central Taipei by MRT.
- Best value: newer, bigger flats for noticeably less
- Major transport hub (MRT, TRA, HSR) — fast to everywhere
- Big malls, amenities and a real local-life feel
- Outside Taipei City proper; less of the central buzz
- Further from the Da'an/Zhongshan café-and-nomad scene
How renting works in Taipei
The process is fast and mostly informal: find a place on 591.com.tw (or via an agent or Facebook group), view in person, agree terms, sign a one-year lease and pay two months' deposit plus the first month. There's no guarantor or credit check, but two things repeatedly bite foreigners. One, many landlords prefer NOT to register the lease so they can avoid declaring rental income — yet you need a registered address and lease document for your ARC and bank account, so settle this BEFORE you pay. Two, the building's safety and condition matter enormously in Taipei's humid, seismic, storm-prone setting: check the water heater is outdoors, rule out illegal rooftop additions, and look hard for damp and mould. Get everything — rent, deposit, what's included, the landlord's agreement to register — in the written contract.
- 1
Search 591.com.tw (plus agents and Facebook groups)
591 (591.com.tw) is by far the dominant rental portal — use Google Translate and filter by 套房 (studio) vs 整層住家 (whole apartment), MRT line, and price. Facebook groups ('Taipei Rentals', 'Taipei Expats') and English-speaking agents fill the gap for foreigner-friendly landlords. Agents charge roughly half a month's rent in commission and can broker with landlords who don't speak English; many of the best small-landlord flats are only on 591.
- 2
View in person and check the building, not just the flat
Always view before paying — never wire a deposit for an unseen place. Confirm the gas water heater is installed OUTDOORS or on a balcony (indoor units cause carbon-monoxide deaths every winter), rule out illegal rooftop add-ons (頂樓加蓋 — cheap but hot, leaky and unpermitted), and inspect for damp and mould, which the humid climate breeds fast. Test the air-conditioning (essential for summer), water pressure, and whether there's a lift if it's a walk-up.
- 3
Agree terms — and pin down lease registration
Negotiate the rent (some flex on a 1-2 year lease), confirm what's included (management fee 管理費, water, internet — many studios bundle utilities), and crucially get the landlord's agreement to a registered, signed lease. You'll need that lease and a registered address for your ARC and to open a bank account; a landlord who refuses to register can block both. Insist on a written contract listing rent, deposit, duration, currency (NT$) and inclusions.
- 4
Pay the deposit and move in
Standard upfront is two months' deposit plus the first month's rent (plus the agent's half-month commission if you used one). Deposits are returned at the end minus any damage — note the flat's condition in or alongside the contract, ideally with photos. Set up your utilities and HiNet internet (often already wired); keep the lease safe, as you'll present it for immigration and banking.
Upfront cost
Typically 2 months' deposit + 1 month's rent upfront, in NT$ (bank transfer or cash). Add an agent commission of about half a month's rent if you use an agent. Management fee (管理費) and utilities may be on top — confirm what's bundled.
Where to search
Insider tips
- 591.com.tw is where almost everything is — start there and use Google Translate
- Confirm the landlord will register the lease BEFORE paying — you need it for your ARC and bank account
- Check the gas water heater is outdoors (indoor units are a deadly CO risk) and avoid illegal rooftop add-ons (頂樓加蓋)
- Inspect for damp/mould and test the air-con — the humid summers are unforgiving
- Da'an/Zhongshan for the nomad-and-café scene; Banqiao or the New Taipei MRT belt for space per dollar
Avoid these
- Paying a deposit for an unseen flat — always view in person first
- A landlord who won't register the lease — it can block your ARC address registration and bank account
- Indoor gas water heaters — a genuine carbon-monoxide hazard, especially in older or enclosed flats
- Illegal rooftop additions (頂樓加蓋) — cheap and tempting but hot, leak-prone, unpermitted and risky
- Underestimating mould and summer AC bills in the humid subtropical climate