Currency of Taiwan

The legal currency of Taiwan is the New Taiwan Dollar. It is abbreviated as ‘NT' and sometimes as ‘NT$’. You may see some stores using the ‘$’ sign on its own as well. That still means Taiwanese Dollars, not US Dollars.

As of November 2014, the exchange rate of NT stands at 1 USD = 31 NT. 

Conversion guide

Here’s a quick conversion guide. You can write these numbers down on a small piece of paper when you go shopping in Taiwan, so you don’t get confused by scary looking prices that range in the thousands:

10 NT = 32 US cents

100 NT = 3.20 USD

500 NT = 16 USD

1000 NT = 32 USD

1500 NT = 48 USD

2000 NT = 64 USD

3120 NT = 100 USD

10,000 NT = 320 USD

Coins and bills

There are six different coins and five different bills in circulation. The coins start at 1/2 NT and go up in denominations of 1 NT, 5 NT, 10 NT, 20 NT and 50 NT. I have never seen the 1/2 NT coin and 20 NT coin, though.

Some of the most commonly used coins and bills in Taiwan.

The bills start at 100 NT and increase as 200 NT, 500 NT, 1000 NT and 2000 NT. The 200 and 2000 NT bills are quite rare. 

What can you but with 100 NT?

Even though the Taiwanese Dollar is of less value than the USD, it still commands quite a purchasing power in Taiwan. 

Night markets offer cheap and tasty alternatives to eating at a restaurant.

Here are the prices of some basic items that you can find in Taiwan, although prices may vary depending on where you are shopping:

500 ml bottled water: 15 NT

A can of Coke: 20 NT

Ice cream: 30 NT

A loaf of sliced bread: 37 NT

500 ml local beer: 40 NT

Ready-to-eat microwaveable lunch at Seven-Eleven: 60 NT

10 pack eggs: 60-80 NT

Big Mac Menu: 100 NT

2 kg of rice: 100 NT

If you shop at your local street market, you will see the prices drop dramatically. Food is really tasty and affordable in Taiwan. You can have a hearty meal at a local eatery for around 150 NT per person.

Coins, coins, coins

Once you start spending money in Taiwan, you will end up with a lot of coins really fast. I recommend you to buy a coin purse once you get to Taiwan in order to avoid walking around town jingling like a Christmas sleigh. This goes for men too. Besides, there are some pretty cool designs when it comes to coin purses here in Taiwan.

Pictured: My awesome coin purse.

Happy shopping! :)

-DS