What currency is used in Taipei?

Taipei uses the New Taiwan dollar (TWD).

What is the emergency number in Taipei?

In Taipei, call 110 for police, 119 for fire and ambulance.

How much does a day in Taipei cost?

Roughly $40-65 a day in US dollars on a backpacker budget (a hostel or shared room, street food and public transport), and $100-170 mid-range (a private room and restaurants). These are broad estimates, last reviewed October 2026.

Is Waypacker free to use in Taipei?

Yes. Joining is free and stays with hosts carry no nightly rate or booking fee.

Are Waypacker hosts ID-verified?

Every host's ID and selfie are checked by hand by a real person before they can host. Nothing is sent to an AI service.

Can I meet locals in Taipei without staying with anyone?

Yes. You can join meetups and city groups, or ask locals for tips, without booking a stay.

Will anyone see my exact location?

No. Hosts and meetups appear as a neighbourhood-sized area about a kilometre wide, and exact addresses are never stored.

Taipei travel guide

Taiwan

An easy-going capital where mountains rise at the end of the street and the night markets matter as much as the museums. Hot springs and hiking trails are a metro ride from the centre.

Essentials

Language: Mandarin Chinese, with Taiwanese Hokkien widely spoken; English signage is good on the MRT
Currency: New Taiwan dollar (TWD)
Plugs: Type A and B, 110 V
Emergency number: 110 for police, 119 for fire and ambulance
Tipping: Tipping is not expected; many sit-down restaurants add a 10% service charge.

Rough daily budget

Approximate spend per person per day, in US dollars:

Backpacker: $40-65, with a hostel or shared room, street food and public transport.
Mid-range: $100-170, with a private room and restaurant meals.

Last reviewed: October 2026

Where to stay in Taipei

Da'an: leafy and residential, with Daan Forest Park and the restaurants of Yongkang Street.
Dadaocheng: old merchant houses on Dihua Street selling tea, herbs and dried goods.
Ximending: a lively pedestrian shopping district with plenty of budget stays.

Getting around Taipei

The MRT is simple and well signed, and an EasyCard covers it, city buses and YouBike rentals. Eating and drinking are not allowed in MRT stations or carriages.

Best time to visit Taipei

October to December and March to April; summer is hot and typhoons can arrive from July to September.

Top things to do in Taipei

See centuries of Chinese art and jade at the National Palace Museum
Watch worshippers at Longshan Temple, one of the city's oldest
Eat your way around Raohe or Shilin night market
Soak in the hot springs of Beitou, a short MRT ride north of the centre
Ride the Maokong Gondola up to tea houses in the hills

What to eat in Taipei

Beef noodle soup: braised beef and wheat noodles in a rich broth
Xiaolongbao: thin-skinned dumplings filled with pork and hot broth
Lu rou fan: braised minced pork over rice, an everyday staple
Bubble tea: milk tea with chewy tapioca pearls, invented in Taiwan

Day trips from Taipei

Jiufen: a hillside old mining town of lanterns and tea houses, about an hour by bus
Shifen: sky lanterns and a waterfall on the Pingxi rail line, roughly 90 minutes away
Yangmingshan National Park: volcanic hills, steaming vents and hiking trails, under an hour by bus

Local etiquette

Queue in the marked lines on MRT platforms and leave the priority seats for those who need them. Do not stand chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice.

Staying connected

Prepaid SIMs are sold at Taoyuan Airport with a passport, eSIMs are easy to buy online, and free Wi-Fi is common in public places.

Staying safe

Street crime is low; the main hazard is traffic, as scooters and turning cars often cut across pedestrian crossings. Earthquakes and summer typhoons happen, so follow local alerts.

A local tip

Climb Elephant Mountain in the late afternoon and stay until Taipei 101 lights up below you.

Visas:rules depend on your nationality and change often – check your own government's official travel advice before you go.

Meet people in Taipei on Waypacker

Waypacker is a free travel community: stay with ID-verified local hosts, join meetups and city groups, and ask people who live in Taipei for advice. We are new here, so if you live in Taipei, you could be one of the first hosts.

Join free

Questions about Taipei

What currency is used in Taipei?: Taipei uses the New Taiwan dollar (TWD).
What is the emergency number in Taipei?: In Taipei, call 110 for police, 119 for fire and ambulance.
When is the best time to visit Taipei?: October to December and March to April; summer is hot and typhoons can arrive from July to September.
How much does a day in Taipei cost?: Roughly $40-65 a day in US dollars on a backpacker budget (a hostel or shared room, street food and public transport), and $100-170 mid-range (a private room and restaurants). These are broad estimates, last reviewed October 2026.
Is Waypacker free to use in Taipei?: Yes. Joining is free and stays with hosts carry no nightly rate or booking fee.
Are Waypacker hosts ID-verified?: Every host's ID and selfie are checked by hand by a real person before they can host. Nothing is sent to an AI service.
Can I meet locals in Taipei without staying with anyone?: Yes. You can join meetups and city groups, or ask locals for tips, without booking a stay.
Will anyone see my exact location?: No. Hosts and meetups appear as a neighbourhood-sized area about a kilometre wide, and exact addresses are never stored.

More guides in Asia

All Asia guides · Every city guide