Taipei housing guide for exchange students.

If you’re imagining the classic exchange life, cafes, bars, cheap food, and lots of other students, Da’an is it.

Why students love it:

• Central and well connected (Da’an, Da’an Park, Taipower Building, Guting, Technology Building MRT…)
• Full of students, especially around Shida and Gongguan
• Great mix of cheap food, cute cafés, and nightlife
• Easy access to NTU, NTUST, and fast MRT to many campuses

Typical vibe: leafy streets, big Da’an Park, tons of cafés with students working on laptops, bars like Another Brick, and easy MRT access.

If your campus is a bit outside Taipei (NCCU, Yuan Ze, Chang Gung…), Da’an is a strong candidate: you’ll commute longer, but your daily life outside class will be amazing.

Zhongzheng District and the Ximen/Ximending area (technically Wanhua District but often grouped together) are right in the heart of the city.

Students say:

There’s a small nuance:

• Ximending itself is a famous shopping and youth area, bright signs, street food, fashion.
• Wanhua, the broader district, is older and some streets have sex work and more homelessness.

A few students weren’t huge fans:

Takeaway: Zhongzheng + Ximen area = fantastic, but don’t choose a random Wanhua side street without checking the surroundings first.

Xinyi is where Taipei 101 is, with shopping malls, business towers, and almost all the big clubs (Wave, AI, Ruff, Babylon, etc.).

Students describe it as:

Living here means:

• Short walk or bike to nightlife
• More modern high-rises
• Higher rents and less “local” atmosphere
• Still very safe and super convenient for going out

Some students enjoy living there; others prefer to party in Xinyi but live in Da’an or Zhongzheng, which feel less like a business district.

Neihu is in the northeast of Taipei, more residential, with mountains and a “local” feel.

It’s a good option if you’re okay with longer rides and want a quieter, more Taiwanese daily life.

Wenshan District is in the south of Taipei, where NCCU sits, surrounded by hills.

Students highlight:

• Great hikes nearby with views over Taipei
• More suburban / village feel
• 20–40 minutes by bus or MRT to central Taipei

Many NCCU students live in Da’an and commute 40–45 minutes, rather than living steps from campus.

Several universities associated with Taipei exchanges are not in Taipei City itself:

• Fu Jen Catholic University – in New Taipei (Xinzhuang)
• Chang Gung University, Yuan Ze University – in Taoyuan

The big housing question then becomes: near campus, or in Taipei?

Students who tried both usually say:

Trade-off:

• Near campus – shorter commute, but less social / less going-out options.
• In Taipei – longer commute, but a much richer exchange experience.

For most, living in Taipei wins, as long as your timetable is compressed to 2–3 days on campus.

Your unfair advantage is other students.

On Studcasa, each destination has a Feedback tab where previous exchange students left their housing stories and often their contacts. Use it properly:

• Pick 2–3 students who: * Went to your same university, or * Lived in a district you’re considering (Da’an, Zhongzheng, Neihu…).
• Send them a short message: who you are, when you’re coming, and what kind of housing you’re looking for.

They can tell you:

• Which residence/agency/landlord is legit
• If certain neighborhoods or buildings are noisy, moldy, or far
• Sometimes even pass you their apartment when they leave

At the same time, be active in your Studcasa destination group:

• Ask who already booked housing
• See if someone wants to share a flat
• Drop a message like: “Anyone else looking in Da’an around Guting / Taipower Building?”

Most roommate groups for Taipei start exactly like this.

Combine what students actually used with the most reliable online tools:

Great if you want to lock something from abroad with low risk.

• Rooms Taipei – coliving specialist in “local” districts, weekly cleaning, English support, very popular with exchange students.([rooms.taipei][5])
• My Room Abroad – lots of student rooms and shared apartments.
• Banana Coliving – designed for internationals, English support.
• 9floor – serviced apartments and rooms often recommended by universities.

Pros: contracts in English, safe payments, curated options. Cons: sometimes slightly higher prices than raw Facebook/591 deals.

Almost every student mentioned Facebook:

Typical groups (example names):

• “Short-term Apartment in Taipei (Taiwan)”
• “Apartment Rentals in Taiwan – Short-term and Long-term”
• “Looking for Roommates or Apartments in Taipei and Taiwan”

You’ll find:

• Individual rooms in shared flats
• Whole apartments (often via small agencies or landlords)
• Roommates advertising an empty room

Tips from students:

If you don’t speak Chinese, an agent or a Taiwanese friend can be really helpful here.

591 房屋交易網 is the main Taiwanese rental platform.

Reality:

• Site and app are primarily in Chinese
• Listings are numerous and often cheaper than coliving platforms
• You’ll need: * Google Translate in your browser * Some patience with translations * Possibly a friend/agent to call landlords

Multiple universities even list 591 as a standard resource for international students.

If you’re comfortable being proactive, 591 can be where you find the best value for money.

Some universities publish curated lists of:

• Trusted housing platforms (Taiwan Housing, Rooms Taipei, Borderless House, etc.)
• Facebook groups
• Safety tips (how to check fire exits, gas heaters, locks…).

If your university has this kind of “rental information” page, it’s worth reading once, it gives you a solid safety checklist.

Useful if:

• You want to visit places in person before signing
• You’re arriving outside normal leasing cycles
• You prefer to meet potential roommates face-to-face

Try to limit Airbnb to 1–3 weeks, after that, long-term housing will almost always be cheaper.

One of the biggest cultural shocks:

In Taipei it’s normal for smaller apartments to not have a real kitchen, or to have:

• Just a sink, fridge, and microwave
• Single electric stove
• No oven

Because eating out is so cheap, landlords don’t always invest in full kitchens.

Ask clearly:

• “Is there a stove? Shared kitchen? Can we cook?”
• “Is gas or electric included in the rent?”

If cooking matters to you, put it high on your filter list.

Most student rentals include:

• Bed + mattress
• Desk + chair
• Wardrobe
• Air-conditioning

Sometimes they do not include:

• Bedding (sheets, duvet, pillow)
• Kitchen utensils
• Hangers, small lamps, storage

Some landlords are generous:

Others are minimalist: you’ll do a big first trip to IKEA, Carrefour, or Muji.

Colivings like Rooms Taipei often bundle a “household pack” with essentials and utilities against a small monthly fee.

• Laundry – usually a washing machine in the flat or building; dryers are less common, people often hang clothes on the balcony.
• Garbage & recycling – Taipei has specific rules and garbage trucks; many buildings or colivings manage this for you (some even advertise “garbage service”).
• Mold & humidity – big topic. Taipei is tropical and humid, and many buildings have poor insulation.

Students insist on:

• Using a dehumidifier if the apartment has one
• Ventilating well
• Checking walls and ceilings for stains during visits

Almost all students end up using:

• MRT for long trips
• YouBike for short rides
• EasyCard / TPASS to pay for everything

Choose housing with:

• MRT station ≤ 10 minutes walk or bike
• Ideally one direct line to your campus, if it’s in Taipei
• Nightlife and food accessible without a 1.5-hour night bus

Students are unanimous: food is cheap, Western stuff is not.

Rough idea:

• Local meal: 80–180 NTD (2–5€) in typical eateries or night markets
• Cafés, brunch, Western restaurants: closer to or even above European prices
• Groceries, especially imported items: can be more expensive than France / Germany

So if your housing budget is tight, you can usually compensate by eating local.

The general impression:

Even in Wanhua, where some students didn’t like the atmosphere, they emphasize it’s about cleanliness and vibe, not danger.

Still, normal rules apply: watch your drink in clubs, don’t leave your phone unattended, etc. But compared to European big cities, you’ll feel a noticeable difference.