Accommodation is a significant part of the cost of living. A student can live in a dormitory or rent an apartment. The cost of renting a dormitory room depends on the number of people living in the room, there are rooms for 1, 2, 3 and 4 students. Students have to pay for electricity. The number of dorm rooms is limited, so before you go to Taiwan, you need to check the availability of rooms at the international office at the university. If there are no available rooms, it is worth booking a hotel for a few days to find suitable accommodation.
When renting housing, it should be borne in mind that the rent will be from 7000NTD / month and above. The rent is affected by the location, the age of the building, the size of the room, the availability of furniture, etc. You can rent an apartment and live alone or rent a room and live with roommates. If you look for an apartment through an agency, then the agent also receives about 50% for one month of rent.
There are a few things to keep in mind when renting an apartment:
1) Regardless of how long the apartment will be rented - most often rented for six months or a year - you need to sign a contract, because if the landlord suddenly asks you to move out before the end of the rental period, then you will need evidence to claim compensation.
2) When signing the contract, be sure to ask the landlord for an identity card, proof of ownership of the property, property tax, or official confirmation of all of the above to verify that he is the landlord.
3) When you first move in, be sure to take pictures of the property so that when you move out, you can return the room to its original appearance and avoid any disputes.
It is worth counting on about $ 400-500 for living expenses per month, but more is possible, it depends on the student's expenses and the city of residence. The student has the right to work no more than 20 hours per week and full time during vacations, but permission must be obtained from the university and the work must be related to the student's specialty. Also, the university often offers part-time jobs.
Students can eat in the student canteen and cafes or cook at home. The student canteens have a large selection of dishes, there is a choice not only of Taiwanese food, but also of other Asian cuisines. Meals are paid using a student card, which is issued for all students upon registration at the university. At the university, you can not only have lunch and dinner, but also breakfast. It costs NTD 30-150, while prices for European dishes in cafes start at NTD 300.
Medicine in Taiwan is not cheap. Many foreigners take out state insurance. If you have insurance, when you visit a doctor and receive a prescription for medicines, you can purchase medicines at the hospital under insurance. You can submit an application 4 months after obtaining residency, and if the next semester of study is paid. The insurance covers treatment in the hospital and during the doctor's appointment, the insurance holder pays 158NTD, this cost includes the doctor's appointment, medicines and tests. The insurance also covers dental treatment. The cost of insurance is 800NTD/month.
Due to its location, Taiwan is a great place for outdoor enthusiasts. Mountains cover about two-thirds of the island's surface.Therefore, there are many well-equipped mountain trails for lovers of hiking. Taiwan is washed by both the seas and the ocean, so you can go diving and surfing. Camping is also popular with the locals.