A Budget Traveler's Guide To Taipei

Taipei is a city awash with high-end malls and designer label stores, but even so, it’s a city that still has a lot to offer the budget conscious traveler. From incredibly cheap dining options to historical attractions that are free to visit, enjoying a trip to Taipei without breaking the bank takes very little effort.

Get an Easycard

The local travel card is called an EasyCard, and with it, tourists can make use of the city’s incredible network of public transport. Fares paid with an EasyCard are slightly cheaper than those paid for with cash, and it saves a lot of time too. Travelers can also use their cards to pay for YouBike hire and as a charge card in convenience stores. Some taxi providers will also accept them and offer a discount for using one instead of cash.

Eat out

Drink at 7/11

A few drinks in a nice bar can wreak havoc on the best-laid sightseeing plans, and that’s nothing to do with the morning after feeling. Taipei’s bars are plentiful, but they are also a little pricey for those on a budget. The cheapest way to enjoy a few beers is in the local convenience store. The 7/11s and FamilyMarts dotted throughout the city often have seating areas and sometimes a bathroom too.

Buy a pay-as-you-go Sim

There are a number of telecom providers in Taiwan and getting a sim card to fit any phone is quite the simple task. And the best way to keep track of your spending is to buy a pay-as-you-go sim. They offer pretty good deals with many also including free data in the package, but this isn’t really required.

Register for free Wi-Fi

Forget spending money in a local coffee shop to get the Wi-Fi password because Taipei offers this service for free throughout the city. All visitors must do is register online for a free account, search for a local hotspot and connect to the internet. So for the budget-conscious traveler, there’s simply no need to ever pay for internet access while here.

Check out the free sights

Taipei is full of incredible attractions such as Taipei 101 and its many museums, but visiting these sights costs money. A great alternative would be to visit the many free attractions the city has to offer such as its beautiful temples, Daan Forest Park, and both Chiang Kai-shek and Sun Yat-sen Memorial Halls.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.