Essentials
- City
- Hualien City, Hualien County, Taiwan
- Population
- Approx. 100,000 (City), 320,000 (County)
- Internet Speed
- Average 100-300 Mbps; Fiber is standard in urban rentals
- Currency & Banking
- 1 USD ≈ 31.5 TWD, 1 TWD ≈ 0.032 USD (New Taiwan Dollar)
- Tap Water
- Not recommended to drink directly; use dispensers (found in all hotels/hostels) or boil first
- Power
- 110V, 60Hz, 🔌 Type A and B sockets (same as USA/Canada)
- SIM Card
- Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile, FarEasTone (Unlimited data approx. 600 TWD/month)
- Banking for Expats
- Post Office Bank, Mega Bank, CTBC (Apple Pay and LINE Pay widely accepted)
- Accommodation
- Airbnb (monthly discounts available), Booking.com, and 591.com.tw for long-term rentals
- Cashless Friendly
- Mostly; cards/LINE Pay used in 7-11 and malls, but street food and small cafes are cash-only
- Short Term Rentals
- Hualien Wow Hostel, Leaf Inn (Monthly rates approx. 15,000 - 25,000 TWD)
- Budget Accommodation
- Bayhouse Comfortel Hualien Hostel (approx. 500 TWD/night for a dorm)
- Best Area to Stay for Tourists
- Hualien City Center (near Dongdamen Night Market) for food and accessibility
- Best Area to Stay for Digital Nomads
- Meilun District (quieter, greener, residential) or near the Hualien Train Station for transport
Working and Networking
- Best Coworking Space
- T-Hub Hualien (No. 6, Fu'an Rd) - Modern facilities, approx. 300 TWD/day
- Best Cafe for Work
- Kōhi Kotobuki (Classic vibe, good Wi-Fi) and Gioconda Coffee (excellent beans, quiet)
- Networking Events
- Hualien Entrepreneur Meetups (staged occasionally at T-Hub) or local Facebook groups like 'Hualien Expats'
- Social Events for Expats
- All-In Surf (Beibin Park) weekend gatherings and local language exchange meetups at 'Salt Lick'
Transportation
- Best Taxi/Ride App
- FindTaxi (TW app) or LINE Taxi; Uber is extremely limited/unavailable in Hualien
- Bike/Scooter Rental
- Pony Leasing (near station) - 400 TWD/day for scooters; YouBike 2.0 stations are throughout the city
- Best Beach Nearby
- Qixingtan Beach (15 mins north) - Pebble beach with stunning Pacific views
- Top Regional Airline
- Uni Air (flights to Taipei Songshan and Kaohsiung)
- Top International Airline
- China Airlines / EVA Air (via Taoyuan International Airport, 3 hours away by train)
- Highway Access
- Provincial Highway 9 (Suahua Highway) connecting north to Yilan/Taipei
- Main Train/Transit Hub
- Hualien Train Station (Major stop for Tze-Chiang Limited Express and Taroko Express)
- Public Transport Passes
- EasyCard (Yoyo Card) or iPASS for buses and trains; 1-day Taroko bus pass (250 TWD)
- Regional Travel
- TRA Trains to Taipei (2.5 hours, 440 TWD) or southward to Taitung (1.5-2 hours)
Health and Wellness
- Best Hospital
- Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital (No. 707, Sec. 3, Chuang Ching Rd) - World-class medical care
- Yoga & Wellness Centers
- Iris Yoga Space (Meilun District) and various boutique studios near the city center
- Gyms & Fitness Centers
- World Gym Hualien (Guolian Branch) or Hualien County Stadium gym for budget sessions
- Laundry Services
- Seicane 24H Coin Laundry (widely available throughout Hualien City)
Food and Drink
- Best Food Delivery App
- Foodpanda and UberEats both operate extensively in the city center
- Best Local Dish to Try
- Muaji (Sticky rice cakes) and Bomb Green Onion Pancake (Fuxing St)
- Vegan/Vegetarian Options
- Yi-Yuan (Vegetarian Dim Sum) and Green Land (Meilun)
- Best Dessert Spots
- Wulaoshi Red Bean Cake and various shaved ice shops near the night market
- Affordable Shopping Spots
- Hualien City Farmers' Market and Zhongshan Road retail district
- E-commerce/Online Store
- Shopee Taiwan, PChome, and MOMO (Shipping to 7-11 convenience stores is standard)
- Grocery Delivery
- PX Mart (via Foodpanda) and Carrefour Online
- Bar/Nightlife Area
- Liyu Lake Area (quiet pubs) and city center 'Izakayas' near Zhongshan Rd
- Local Brewery
- Hualien Brewing (Craft beer available at local specialty bars like Salt Lick)
- Wine Bars
- The 193 Gallery / Wine Bar (Upscale selection of imported wines)
- Street Food Stalls
- Dongdamen Night Market (Massive selection including Aboriginal cuisine)
- Popular International Cuisine
- Salt Lick (American BBQ), Dos Tacos (Mexican), and Caffe Fiore (Italian)
Culture and Attractions
- Must-See Landmarks
- Taroko Gorge National Park (25 mins from city) and Pine Garden
- Museums & Art Venues
- Hualien County Stone Sculpture Museum and Hualien Cultural and Creative Industries Park
- Historical Sites
- Keishuin (Japanese Shinto Temple) in Ji'an
- Religious Sites
- Sheng'an Temple and Cihui Temple
- Annual Events
- Joint Aboriginal Harvest Festival (July/August) and Pacific Lantern Festival
- Cultural Districts
- Hualien Cultural and Creative Industries Park (Old Distillery)
- Theater Venues
- Hualien Performing Arts Center
- Local Markets
- Dongdamen Night Market and the Early Morning Fish Market at Hualien Harbor
- Music Scene
- Live indigenous music performances at the Dongdamen Night Market stage
- Street Art
- Murals at Hualien Railway Village and 3D street art at Beibin Park
- Cooking Classes
- Indigenous cooking classes at Machiwan (near Taroko)
- Art Galleries
- Hualien Stone Art Gallery
- Historic Buildings
- Pine Garden (former Japanese military office)
- Local Heritage
- Strong presence of Amis, Truku, and Bunun indigenous cultures
Nature and Outdoor Activities
- Nearby Nature Escapes
- Liyu Lake (boating, cycling) and Mukumugi Valley (permit required)
- National Parks Nearby
- Taroko National Park (The 'Crown Jewel' of Taiwan nature)
- Cycling/Walking Paths
- Hualien Coastal Bike Trail (15km scenic route along the Pacific)
- Scenic Viewpoints
- Qingshui Cliffs (North of the city on the Suhua Highway)
- Birdwatching Locations
- Hualien River Estuary and Meilun Mountain Park
- Bonfire-Friendly Spots
- Generally restricted on public beaches; permitted at designated campsites like Ocean Chill
Other Services and Amenities
- Parcel Delivery Service
- 7-11/FamilyMart (store-to-store), Black Cat T-Cat (Express home delivery)
- Tech Repair Services
- Tsann Kuen 3C (Large electronics retailer with repair desks)
- Table Tennis Spots
- Hualien County Gymnasium and local community schools
- Language Classes
- Tzu Chi University Mandarin Learning Center
- Libraries & Study Spots
- Hualien County Cultural Affairs Bureau Library
- Community Centers
- Ji'an Township Community Center
- Gaming Lounges
- Various internet cafes ('Wang Ba') near the train station (e.g., G-Speed)
- Casino & Gaming Halls
- Casinos are illegal; only state-sanctioned lotteries and 'Amusement Arcades' exist
Business
- Studio Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. 180,000 TWD per ping (approx. $1,800 USD/m²). Example: 33m² = $60,000 USD
- Studio Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. 130,000 TWD per ping (approx. $1,300 USD/m²). Example: 33m² = $43,000 USD
- 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. 170,000 TWD per ping. Example: 50m² = $85,000 USD
- 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. 120,000 TWD per ping. Example: 50m² = $60,000 USD
- 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. 160,000 TWD per ping. Example: 80m² = $128,000 USD
- 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. 110,000 TWD per ping. Example: 80m² = $88,000 USD
- Corporate Tax
- 20% (Standard rate in Taiwan)
- Dividend Withholding Tax
- 21% for non-residents
- Tax System
- Progressive tax on Taiwan-sourced income; Residents taxed on worldwide income above 6.7M TWD
- Highest Income Tax Bracket
- 40%
- VAT
- 5% (Sales tax, usually included in listed prices)
- Controlled Foreign Company (CFC) Rules
- Yes, implemented since 2023
- Property Tax
- 1.2% to 3.6% based on house value and usage
- Property Transaction Tax
- Land Value Increment Tax and House/Land Transactions Income Tax (up to 45% if sold within 2 years)
- Attractive Tax System for Digital Nomads
- Gold Card program offers 50% tax deduction on income over 3M TWD for 3 years