$420 Taiwan Apartment Tour | Morning Market Living

[@staceyk.210]

DiDi is to adorable 🥰 she definitely looks like she's In Charge of the House!! This video was Great and Informative I'm considering moving aboard and Taiwan is one of the countries I'm considering!! Tiachung is one area that I'm looking into!! But this top floor apartment seems to have everything a person may need to live in!! I want to say Great 👍🏽 Video and Thanks for Sharing🧡🤍🎇🤍🧡

[@Travelingjoe]

Thanks so much! I Didi was the highlight of the house for sure! I myself am moving to Kaohsiung next week so I am back to house hunting again, hope we can both find something amazing~ !

[@staceyk.210]

@@Travelingjoe Well if you don't mind I will hit you up from time to time just to check ✅ on the area's that offers the most for your buck 💸 and the surrounding areas!! That👍🏽 again and Happy 😁 House Hunting!!

[@NoraHsu]

Nice introduction of the apartment! another good apartment tour! 👍 好笑的模仿叫賣 😄 可愛的生氣貓 😆

[@Travelingjoe]

謝謝！我被市場的聲音叫醒 😂 貓很兇！

[@thegooji273]

I was born and raised in 中和. I moved out from my parent’s house a couple years ago. Then I moved to downtown Taipei with some roommates I found on the Internet. And I moved out again in order to find a better place to stay. In the end, I settled down in another city. I guess I just want to say I know the difference and the difficulty very well. Hope you enjoy your time in Taiwan.

[@tiffanybackup3389]

Hello to both you and Joe! I was awarded the Hua Yu and am scheduled to study at MTC for the winter session. Do you have any recommendations for finding a place (I don't mind local Taiwanese roommates; in fact, I'd prefer one who only speaks Mandarin 🙂 Also, I have a daughter who will be 3 when I arrive. She's not your typical loud annoying toddler. Clever and a darling with strangers I'm told. I'm looking for something near MTC (like everyone and their grandmother, lol) and hopefully there are local Taiwanese daycares nearby.

[@fujuli7505]

That is reasonable price for a whole floor even it is the adding construction on the top of the apartment. Wish you have a good time in Taiwan.

[@Travelingjoe]

Yea! I thought the price was pretty decent, thanks for the well wishes!

[@user-zc7nf9ly4l]

there are always pros and cons with a morning market nearby but those negatives are nothing as long as u are able to manage them.

[@Travelingjoe]

True! It’s pretty cool to wake up to the hustle and bustle

[@deeyandra]

Very soothing voice ^^ I hope I can go to Taiwan someday soon! 很想去台灣!

[@Travelingjoe]

Thanks! Taiwan is waiting for you~

[@cambodianriverpig7613]

Your impression of the morning market noise is hilarious.

[@Travelingjoe]

The market is my morning alarm! 😄

[@westcoastdean]

Great info!

[@Travelingjoe]

Thanks so much!

[@aniwee17]

Thank you.

[@Travelingjoe]

Sure thing!

[@sakuravoyage]

Nice! And ofc cute cat I need to find out about the aspects of housing specific to Taiwan (especially things to avoid!) and the Chinese words for them. What was the word for the "additional floor on the top of a 公寓" that you mentioned? Thanks :)

[@Travelingjoe]

Cats for the win! 😁 I think the saddest part is that the norm here is to provide two months deposit and the first months rent all at once, which can be a bit of a burden. That first word was 頂樓加蓋 (Dǐnglóu jiā gài) - Basically an additional add on structure to a building. I have lived in two apartments like this and they were a bit cheaper.

[@sakuravoyage]

@@Travelingjoe Thanks for the word, that's super useful! Also yeah the 3 months rent it a lot... but at least not as bad as "key money" deposit system in South Korea, which is usually equivalent to 1 year's rent 😲

[@Travelingjoe]

I have never lived in Korea but that sounds harsh! I guess 3 months isn't so bad after all 😅

[@jonascos1538]

Love that satchel hanging on your backdoor ❤️

[@Travelingjoe]

I can't take credit for so much style, must be my roommates! 😁

[@jonascos1538]

@@Travelingjoe hows everything going in there? I miss Taiwan so much!!!

[@Travelingjoe]

Things are good! On the day to day things are pretty normal just some basic stuff like mask wearing and no popcorn in movie theaters. Which was sad while watching 007 last weekend 😂 In the meantime I am taking new Mandarin courses while I wait for the chance to visit Japan once again! I think everyone is looking forward to international travel once again.

[@situ.twkrjp]

I miss Taiwan 😢

[@Travelingjoe]

Gotta come back one day!

[@filtratedbread]

Oh man no joke. I want to live here. Noise is yes, more stairs is also yes... idk I'm wired and weird.

[@royok915]

Thanks for this video tour. As a Taiwanese who moved to Taipei from Taichung 5 years ago for job transfer, I'm curious to know how long it might take you to walk to the nearest MRT staion from your new apartment 🙏( I guess about 5 minutes?)

[@Travelingjoe]

Not far at all, about 5 minutes to 景平站 on the circle line and maybe 7 minutes to 南勢角站. Taichung to Taipei!? I have heard great things about Taichung as well, would love to try living there one day.

[@royok915]

@@Travelingjoe Thanks for your prompt reply. I guess you know that many Taiwanese of the other cities come to Taipei for the same reason as mine---job transfer. For most of us , Taipei may not be the top option in terms of living a more comfortable life only. Take my hometown, Taichung as an example. Not only do we have local snacks that are more diverse and more affordable, but Taichung's weather is much better than Taipei's. Most of all, Taichung's housing prices are way much lower than Taipei's. On the other hand, for someone that has just come to Taiwan from other countries, I guess it might be easier and more convenient to live in Taipei because Taipei does have the best public transportation in Taiwan and Taipei people averagely have the highest proficiency in English compared with the others in Taiwan. But since you're such veteran(?) in Taiwan and can speak Chinese, I believe you can really enjoy living in Taichung as well.

[@Travelingjoe]

Seems like Taichung has a lot going for it! Yea I have heard that the prices for renting a home in the other cities are much more reasonable, which makes it even more tempting! I also think your right about the Chinese because sometimes I live in Taipei but I still just use English everyday to get by... 😅 So I have been thinking that maybe moving somewhere where I am forced to speak Chinese will help me improve? I hope so! haha

[@royok915]

@@Travelingjoe Definitely. While most foreigners come to Taipei for studying Mandarin and thus try to speak and practice Mandarin with the locals, the locals also hope to practice English by talking to foreigners as much as possible 🤣.Some foreigner KZbinrs even found it a little bit annoying, so some foreigner do move to the other cities in Taiwan. That way, they can really get themselves immersed in an only-Chinese/Taiwanese-speaking environment. 😂

[@Travelingjoe]

Well I am definitely open to trying another city. Next week I will begin a 徒步環島 so I will hopefully get to pass through many different cities and try them all out! Maybe I can even learn some Taiwanese in additional to some Mandarin! (hopefully) 😂

[@spicykimchi1]

Nice video. I just got an offer for a teaching gig in Taiwan, so I'm exciting. Since you're wearing a hoodie, I'll have to ask: does it ever get cool to the point where I'd wear a dress shirt with a v-neck sweater? (Taichung area). If not, I guess that I won't be packing any sweaters. BTW, my mom's cat is also called Didi. Thanks

[@Travelingjoe]

Congratulations on your new job! To be honest I wouldn't bring too many hoodies or heavy clothes. However I would bring one or two for the winter time, it can get a bit windy and chilly at times although it typically doesn't last too too long. I usually find myself using my hoodie in coffee shops with crazy air conditioning haha Especially if you don't have a lot of space or are trying to pack light.. there are plenty of places to buy heavier clothes once you get over here.. so maybe just pack the ones you don't want to go without. What a coincidence 😄 maybe you can bring Didi over too haha

[@spicykimchi1]

@@Travelingjoe Thanks for the quick response.

[@vincent4696]

@@spicykimchi1 Malls, shops and cafes like to keep their AC on 17 C when it's 40 C outside XD, Taipei can drop to sub 15 degrees tho!

[@chaoyuliu6044]

Big fan for Didi here🐱

[@Travelingjoe]

Didi is true master of this apartment 😁

[@MeloPomeloMelo]

Is the front door tiny or are you tall?:D Thank you for the video, it is as great as always. I think the morning market is nice, always fresh yotiao and bingzi :)

[@Travelingjoe]

Maybe I subconsciously angled the camera to make myself taller 😂 I really need to explore the morning market more and try some new things I think

[@onetamer]

+1 for rocking flip-flops

[@Travelingjoe]

Flip-flops for the win!

[@jennytai88]

I think I paid 9000 for a room three years ago in Taipei city near shida that is really quite nice lol.

[@Travelingjoe]

Nice find! I never had any luck finding something nice in Taipei within that price range~

[@tiffanybackup3389]

This was great. Thanks so much for posting! Is your roommate Taiwanese? guessing you are totally fluent and she was the one who posted the other bedroom on 591? Have you or someone you know ever lived in Tainan? I'm torn between both cities! I'm only going to be in Taiwan for a little over 3 months and am hoping I can find someone willing to rent out for that time period. Love to hear your thoughts comparing studying/living in both cities, finding decent (clean) roommates and anything else, say quarantine? Are you still in that apt. in Taipei?

[@Travelingjoe]

Wow Tainan and Taipei that is a hard choice! I think Tainan would also be a great experience. What will you be doing here? Studying? That might make a difference in where you should go. I am actually in a little studio now and I met my roommate as a coworker so it was much easier than meeting a random person. I think 591 is a great option though, the good thing about Tainan is the rent is likely cheaper than up here in Taipei!

[@tiffanybackup3389]

@@Travelingjoe I was awarded the HES for 3 months of scholarship (Winter term). I'm scheduled to study at MTC, but would prefer Tainan. If you have WhatsApp, or email is it ok to follow up with more questions that way?

[@Travelingjoe]

Just saw your email!

[@tiffanybackup3389]

Also, have you heard of folks doing apartment swaps w/people overseas?

[@Travelingjoe]

I have not heard of that to be honest mostly just subletting~

[@burnheartsworld2548]

Very good price. Do you have to pay any angecy middle man fees, or huge deposits in order to rent the apartment? Also can you rent short term like 1- 3 months?

[@Travelingjoe]

They do have agencies that charge half the first months rent, which for me is a "no way"! Although I have heard from some about good experiences using agents to help them find better places so it might be worth it 🤔

[@pacificH2O]

Thanks for the tour! Is the area the apartment in very noisy? Thanks!

[@Travelingjoe]

In the morning you can hear the morning market coming alive~ However overall I feel its not too bad, in Taipei it is hard to escape the roaring of the occasional passing motorbike haha

[@pacificH2O]

@@Travelingjoe Thanks! Can't wait to visit.

[@holly.5440]

Aren’t added structures illegal in Taiwan? There’s a massive problem with illegal rooftop dwellings in Taiwan, especially Teipei which are super dangerous to live in.

[@Travelingjoe]

Yea I believe they are illegal (not sure if New Taipei/Taipei have the same regulations) but I think they are also very common. I guess it’s one of those things that isn’t really enforced? You are right, I do have one friend who had a scary experience after living in an added structure 😓

[@barrelrolldog]

Its illegal but people literally still build them..

[@terranova22]

Thanks for posting this! I will be in Taipei this September through December. Do you know how i can find a short term room rental? Is there a website for roommate situations? I am also just starting to learn Mandarin, so ideally I hope to find someone to can speak a little English.

[@Travelingjoe]

If you are looking for English friendly rooms and landlords then I really suggest joining the Facebook groups ! They are called like “roommates in Taipei” or “housing in Taiwan” things like that. (Also it’s easier to find short-term rentals via Facebook). If you want to find housing with a local landlord then I suggest a website named “591”, this is pretty much the top website for finding housing here. The downside it’s not very English friendly~

[@terranova22]

@@Travelingjoe Thanks for this tip! I will be studying Mandarin while i'm there, but it will be a while before i'm functionally fluent enough to speak the local language.

[@Travelingjoe]

Sounds awesome, where will you study?

[@yasinnabi]

You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don’t make money your goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing, and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off you. --Maya Angelou,.,.,.

[@FRANCISCARUSOworld]

It seems like the situation is normal in Taipei, is it true? Here in Amsterdam is crazy and we are in a lockdown right now..

[@Travelingjoe]

It has been pretty normal here from the beginning. They only ask that you wear the mask in public places and on public transportation. I hope the lockdown isn’t too bad over there for you guys!

[@jfrv2244]

is there a tipical renting website i can visit that you recomend? I want to go live to taiwan for a few months. thank you

[@Travelingjoe]

For short term living I would recommend joining up with some of the several Facebook groups regarding room hunting. They are the easiest to use and also the most likely to have short term stays.

[@cooliipie]

Where do you find apartments like this. On the 591 app?

[@Travelingjoe]

Yea the best I’ve seen have been on 591 and sometimes on the Facebook groups (this one was on 591)

[@cooliipie]

I now own my second home with my girlfriend. Time flies!!

[@Travelingjoe]

It really does! Wow what a cool flashback haha

[@mangasromance3966]

is it a taiwan dollar or us dollar? ive been there twice and i really like it there. i'm from philippines

[@Travelingjoe]

It’s the Taiwan dollar (TWD/NTD)

[@MeiliaNatalia]

omg, you are very lucky to get 12000NTD apartment in Taipei.. i mean.. TAIPEI?! How come....

[@Travelingjoe]

A good deal indeed! I think its because its a rooftop structure, above a market and all the way at the end of the metro line 😅

[@barrelrolldog]

Because its not in taipei its in new taipei city and its a rooftop addition..

[@mariaatis807]

Nice to bad you didn’t go to Philippines?

[@Travelingjoe]

I have never been although have heard great things! I hope I can visit one day, I need to research where the best place to visit would be 🧐

[@jpmp1024]

專業叫賣😂😂

[@Travelingjoe]

我應該試試看開了一個小攤 😄

[@seaoftears705]

Can i ask.how much tax in taiean and room.tsye 1 room only

[@Travelingjoe]

Hi! It depends on how nice you want your room, a good starting point is 10,000TWD per month for a somewhat decent single room in Taipei.. but that price can jump up quick!

[@Your.girly.Chloeee]

a month or a week>

[@Travelingjoe]

This is per month, a week would be insane! haha

[@李碧德微]

where are living address now

[@Travelingjoe]

Not quite sure what you mean but I am still in Taipei!

[@barrelrolldog]

Ding lou jia gai baby. Is it hot? I lived on the 6th floor before, standard apartment, not ding lou jia gai and it was hot as hell. I'm never doing it again.

[@Travelingjoe]

Yes! It would get hot and cold depending on what it was feeling like outside. Now I try to avoid them, especially in the summer! 🤣

[@barrelrolldog]

@@Travelingjoe Lol i don't blame you. After living in taiwan for a number of years i have an apartment checklist now. no top floors. must have elevator. must have public trash bin. no main roads.

[@justafighter1346]

Do you need a visa to rent in Taiwan?

[@Travelingjoe]

Hmm.. I have rented about 5 places and don't recall ever being asked to show my visa... more likely they will look to see if you have an ARC (Alien Resident Certificate) if signing a contract. To be honest it really depends on the landlord and how hesitant they are to rent to non-locals.

[@justafighter1346]

@@Travelingjoe how difficult is it to get the ARC in your experience?

[@Travelingjoe]

@@justafighter1346 it's not too difficult. You just need to be a student, have a job or easiest and quickest of them all get married to a Taiwanese citizen~

[@barrelrolldog]

Literally no. The most important thing is the contracts are usually 1 yr, so you have to be cool with that. And that you have a taiwanese person with you, to communicate with the landlord at first. Because taiwanese are a bit suspicious of foreigners, its unlikely you would be their first choice to rent to based on being a foreigner. that's just how it is.

[@pog574]

$420? For that amount you could get much better deal

[@Travelingjoe]

I don't see too many bargains in Taipei these days~ I think $420 is quite reasonable actually for a two bedroom and a big space even if it is on a rooftop 😆

[@riomartin4887]

Why are you so cute

[@zxc521137210]

I see what you did there, that's the number.

[@Travelingjoe]

A mere coincidence! 😅

[@jeffwang8884]

U r funny XD

[@Travelingjoe]

Thanks!