Why Are Houses and Apartments in Taiwan So Expensive Despite the Often Low Quality?

Moving into a new apartment is supposed to be exciting - fresh walls, a clean slate... But if you're in Taiwan, you might quickly learn that "new" doesn’t always mean "well built".

We recently moved into a newly finished apartment, and while we were initially thrilled, that excitement faded faster than a cheap paint job - and speaking of paint…

Here’s just a small taste of what we encountered within a few days of moving in:

1. The light switch controls a random light across the room. The one by the entrance? It lights up the sofa area. If you forget to turn off the light close to the entrance before leaving, good luck jumping back across the apartment - the switch is on another wall, right next to another switch that also controls the light above the sofa. At least now we have all the lights connected to a remote, which I keep in sight at all times.

2. Walls and ceilings so uneven, it’s a workout for your eyes trying to follow the corners. Optical illusions? Built-in bonus.

3. Paint job? More like a kindergarten art project. Brush marks, smudges, uneven coverage… It honestly looks like it was done during arts and crafts hour.

4. The shower head is mounted like it’s drunk... slanted at such an angle that it’s impossible not to notice.

5. Dead sockets and non-working light under the kitchen cupboard. Because who needs function?

6. Exposed gaps and holes around wires and the smoke detector. And I’m not talking tiny imperfections - we have two visible holes with wires sticking out right above the air conditioner. Why not just cover them up properly?

7. Bathroom ventilation remote? Fell off the wall like it gave up on life. I tried to open it, and the whole thing ended up in my hand with wires dangling like a scene from a bad DIY show.

8. A bare wall next to the stove. Apparently, tiles are optional now? Every other place we’ve lived in had either tiles or a black glass panel to keep things clean. Not this one. I guess skipping it was a cost-saving decision.

9. Speaking of cost-cutting... The soft-close mechanism in the cupboards? It’s there - but only sometimes. A few are missing entirely!

It’s only been a week, so we’re not sure what else we’ll notice in the future. But based on our previous experience, even relatively new apartments can have serious issues like mold and leaks, so the future feels a bit uncertain.

In our last rental apartment, which was just a few years old, we had mold problems every time it rained for a couple of days. The walls would start to look damp, and soon after, mold would appear. It was especially bad in winter, the wall near the window would turn dark overnight, and it was pretty frustrating.

We cleaned it regularly and even used UV light to try and fight it. But despite all efforts, my husband developed a skin issue that didn’t go away (already over half a year), even after trying different medications and consulting four different doctors.

So, Why Are Homes in Taiwan So Expensive When the Quality Feels So Poor?

It’s a question many people ask, and the answer lies in several overlapping issues:

1. Built for Speed, Not for Quality

Most apartments are constructed by private developers focused on selling quickly. The priority is often marketing, with fancy showrooms and 3D renderings, rather than durability. The result? Cheap materials, rushed finishes, and unskilled labor.

2. Property as an Investment

Real estate is one of the most popular ways to build wealth in Taiwan. Many buyers (including overseas Taiwanese) don’t even plan to live in the apartments they purchase (there are lots of empty apartments/houses!). This speculative demand drives prices up, regardless of actual livability. 

3. Faster = More Profitable

To maximize profit, developers try to build as fast as possible, which leads to poor craftsmanship, uneven floors, bad waterproofing, and crooked fixtures.

4. Nature Isn’t Helping

Taiwan’s climate is rough on buildings: humidity, typhoons, and frequent earthquakes require serious attention to structure and maintenance. Unfortunately, without proper standards, even new buildings can show signs of wear quickly, from leaks and mold to cracks and warped walls.

If you’re thinking of moving into a new apartment in Taiwan, be prepared for a mix of high prices, low-quality surprises, and hopefully, a good sense of humor to help you through it.

Because sometimes, your bathroom fan remote just gives up on life, and all you can really do is laugh.

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The Nightmare of Moving (and Living) in Taiwan

Originally, we were supposed to stay in our current place until the end of May. That gave us some time to plan, pack, and move slowly. But things changed quickly. We found a new rental apartment just a street away, and the current landlady agreed to return our May rent if we moved earlier. So, on April 10th, we signed the new rental contract and started moving right away.

We’re actually pretty fast at moving, and we’ll probably finish even before April ends. The current landlady didn’t rush us and even said it’s fine if we don’t finish in April and need to extend a little. That was nice… at first.

Then she asked if she could show the apartment to potential buyers. Honestly, I didn’t like the idea at all. Who puts a house up for sale while it’s still being rented, and without a clear time limit for the tenant? Taiwan really doesn’t protect tenants at all. It feels like we can be kicked out anytime, even if we always pay rent on time, never cause trouble, never get complaints, and keep the place spotless. And I mean spotless, even the visitors comment on how clean it is.

After we started moving, she asked again about letting people come to view the house. This time, though, she offered to return our April rent as well. I guess she’s really desperate to sell. Is it because house prices are dropping fast? As a salesperson, she probably knows it best. I recently saw data showing an average price drop of 6.6%, with the biggest drops in Tainan and Kaohsiung - over 10%! Sounds amazing, but still, I don’t think these houses are worth the money at all.

Our new place is freshly built, nobody’s lived in it before, and the community is still pretty empty. Sounds good, right? But new places come with their own problems. You’d think a new apartment would be perfect, but within days of signing the contract, we already found issues.

The landlords told us that the light under the kitchen cabinet wasn’t working and that someone would come fix it. Okay, no problem. But the workers said the wiring might be broken and the entire cabinet would have to be taken down to fix it, which takes time. Fine, I said I could live without that light.

But when I went to check things myself, I noticed a socket was hanging out, with exposed wires. The landlord said it was “just missing screws” and would be an easy fix. That’s when I started to wonder: is the socket even working?

I tested it - no electricity at all.

Turns out, it’s on the same line as the broken light. So no, it’s not an easy fix. And that’s the only socket I could use for appliances like a mixer or blender. 

Actually, there is another socket at the back of a cupboard next to it, but there is a sink between the working area and the wardrobe, so I’m not willing to use an extension cord and risk putting myself in danger by using water and electricity side by side. When I’m using appliances like a blender or mixer, I also need water, for example to clean things, so it doesn’t make sense to set it up like that.

If I don’t use electricity in the kitchen, I’d have to prepare things in the living room, which is possible, but it comes with another problem: things could splash when I mix, and if the walls get dirty, we’ll be charged for that, which was mentioned in the rental. And honestly, all of this is happening because the house doesn’t function properly and the landlord rented it out without even checking if everything works!

Now I have to test all the sockets in the whole apartment to make sure the electricity actually works. Just one more headache.

To be honest, I’ve been in a bad mood for over a month now, and this just adds to it. Buildings in Taiwan are low quality, but sold for insane prices. The cost doesn’t match the quality at all. Low CP value. The longer I live here, the more I feel like not just the housing, but so many other things in Taiwan are frustrating. Also people aren't as great and friendly as many may think.

And yet, the government keeps spending money to promote tourism and attract foreigners to move here. Sure, for travel it might be fine (except the hotel prices... during holidays, they don’t just double, some rise by 900%. I’m not even joking... a few accommodations were fined recently for scamming people over the holidays!)

It often feels like money is the only thing people care about here. I don’t know… I used to really like living in Taiwan. But now? I’m just tired.

We already paid the deposit and first month’s rent for the new place, so it’s not easy to just walk away and find somewhere else. And time is tight, there’s simply no way we could find a new apartment and move everything again in such a short period. It really hits you how unstable life can be if you don’t own a home in Taiwan.

And speaking of owning a home - recently, the government raised the mortgage interest rates. So if you borrow money now, you’ll have to pay back even more. But why does it feel like people who’ve never owned a home are the ones being punished the most? It’s like the system is designed to protect investors who keep buying multiple properties, not first-time buyers or people who just want a stable place to live.

Honestly, the rules shouldn’t be the same for everyone. If someone already owns three or more properties (and yes, we’ve met plenty of people like that), are they really struggling financially? I doubt it. It doesn’t feel like prices will crash hard anytime soon. Even if they drop a bit, the already questionable quality of housing here will only get worse.

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Exploring Houbi: A Hidden Floral Paradise in Tainan

Travel Date: 2025/03/22

This time, we decided to head south and stopped in the small town of Houbi in Tainan, right on the border with Chiayi. What I thought would be a quiet, lesser-known spot turned out to be a bustling garden filled with people, tour buses, and a bit of a challenge finding parking. The parking lot itself is quite large, but there were cars parked along the roads for hundreds of meters. No surprise, though, as the weather was perfect for a day of sightseeing.

A Floral Wonderland at Arwin Therapy Garden

Arwin Therapy Garden in Houbi is open every day from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. While many people come here to shop for cosmetics, others visit to enjoy the stunning roses that bloom beautifully during this time of year.

Spanning nearly 15,000 pings (about 49,500 square meters), the garden offers a variety of themed experiences. You'll find the symmetrically designed French Rose Garden, the peaceful English Chakra Herb Garden, and a lush, Amazon-like tropical rainforest zone. Throughout the park, there are also a variety of handcrafted cement art installations showcasing iconic designs.

Inside, you can explore the exhibition hall, where technology meets culture with interactive learning opportunities. You can also listen to guided explanations from friendly staff and discover premium beauty products designed to enhance your skincare routine.

You could easily spend an hour here just enjoying the flowers. There’s also a small, picturesque pond that adds to the charm of the place. This attraction, which opened last year, has drawn many visitors since its soft opening in early February. After undergoing a month-long renovation, it officially reopened on April 20th.

Not only is admission completely free, but the park also features four themed areas, each highlighting the beauty of roses in different styles. With plenty of must-see attractions, it's the perfect destination for flower lovers and photography enthusiasts who want to spend the day capturing stunning moments.

Hidden among the roses, you'll find a collection of miniature European-style houses, handcrafted by renowned Japanese artisan Kato Takayuki. These tiny buildings replicate famous European landmarks, such as: Mont Saint-Michel (France), Provence Cottages (Southern France), English Countryside Houses.

This charming “Miniature European Village” will make you feel like you've stepped right into a fairy tale world.

If you need a break from the sun, head to the Arwin Tourist Factory, an indoor shopping area offering fragrances, handmade soaps, and skincare products from the Arwin brand. It’s a great spot to pick up souvenirs or self-care products!

Behind the tourist factory, you’ll find a life-size replica of Shakespeare’s Wife’s Cottage, the only one of its kind in Taiwan! This charming European-style cottage now serves as a retail shop and is also a wonderful spot for photos.

Houbi’s Arwin Therapy Garden turned out to be a wonderful discovery, a perfect blend of natural beauty, cultural elements, and a touch of European charm. If you love flowers, unique architecture, and relaxing walks, this is definitely a must-visit spot in Tainan.

That’s all for this adventure! Hope you enjoyed this little tour. Stay tuned for more travels and discoveries, let’s see where the road takes us next!

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Exploring Miaoli: Cherry Blossoms, Waterfalls & Unexpected Delays

Travel Date: 2025/03/01

First things first, don’t be surprised by the cherry blossoms! This trip happened at the beginning of March, even though I’m only writing about it now. It took a while to put everything together, but here it is!

The past few weeks have been crazy. We all got sick, and this time, it wasn’t just a simple cough that lasted a few days. We had high fevers, followed by unusually low temperatures, and the worst part for me? I partially lost my hearing. For a few days, I could barely hear anything... not even my own voice. Luckily, I’m finally getting better. But as if that wasn’t enough, we have other challenges to deal with... 

Another reason why this blog post (and video) took so long? I had to switch to a new video editor after using the same one for two years. The new one feels way too advanced, and I’m still getting used to it. On top of that, I had several partially edited videos that I couldn’t finish in my old editor, so I had to start from scratch.

Chasing Cherry Blossoms in Nanzhuang

 The cherry blossoms were in Nanzhuang, but despite it being early March, most of the trees in the mountains had already finished blooming. Only a few bright pink ones were still holding on. We also visited an aboriginal village and then made our way to the Valley of the Gods Waterfall.

We’ve been to this waterfall before, but since we were in the area, we decided to stop by again. There’s a parking lot and even some food stalls at the entrance. The trail down is short and easy to walk, so no worries—it only takes a little while to reach the viewing area. While you can’t access the water itself, you get a great view of the waterfall from a suspension bridge.

We also grabbed a meal there, but honestly, the food was pretty plain—except for the sausage, which was by far the best part!

A Scenic Drive to Xiangtian Lake Tribe

After our waterfall stop, we hit the road again, heading toward Xiangtian Lake Tribe, about a 30-minute drive away. The weather was absolutely perfect—sunny and pleasantly warm, which was rare in recent days.

Xiangtian Lake was much busier than our previous stops, with lots of people walking around. Most visitors park and take the trail around the lake, but since we’ve done that before, we decided to follow the road around it instead. The road is narrow but manageable, even for cars, as there was a nearby camping area packed with people.

Speaking of camping—I still don’t really get the appeal. It always seems way louder than just sleeping at home! But I guess a lot of people enjoy it.

After driving around the lake, we returned to the parking lot for a short walk. This area had a lot more going on compared to our earlier stops. There were plenty of food stalls, and the tea eggs were definitely a highlight. The guy selling them was a peeling master—it took him just a second to peel an egg, while I always struggle and end up breaking them. Actually, older eggs are much easier to peel, so if you’re making tea eggs, check out my recipe and don’t use fresh eggs—they’re a nightmare to peel!

We walked around for a bit, and I think if we had come in mid-February, there would have been even more cherry blossoms. Still, the area was beautiful and peaceful, and I definitely recommend visiting if you’re ever in Miaoli.

A Perfect End to the Day

By afternoon, the sun in the mountains was already fading, and we started heading home. On our way back, we spotted several wild monkeys just chilling in the trees, completely unbothered by passing cars and scooters.

When we passed through Nanzhuang, it was really busy, but we didn’t stop since we’ve been there so many times already. Honestly, I’m starting to feel like I’ve seen all of Taiwan!

That’s it for this trip! If you’re into nature, waterfalls, and peaceful walks, Miaoli is definitely worth a visit. Stay tuned for more adventures, and let’s see where the road takes us next!

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