Housing & Renting in Taiwan
I'm renting — can I get help, and what if my landlord won't cooperate?
Renting in Taiwan as a foreigner comes down to two questions: what financial help you can get, and what to do when a landlord blocks you. The rent subsidy is open to most renters including ARC holders; social housing requires a Taiwanese-national applicant. And by law a landlord cannot stop you from claiming the rent subsidy. This guide routes you to the right one and the help lines.
Step-by-step guide
- 1
Want the rent subsidy? Most renters with an ARC can apply, and new immigrants get a bonus — check the official eligibility checker.
- 2
Looking at social housing? The main applicant must be a Taiwanese national; a foreign spouse applies through their Taiwanese partner.
- 3
Landlord refusing to let you claim, or threatening to raise the rent for it? That is often illegal — call the 1950 consumer hotline.
- 4
Not sure where you stand? Call 1990 (24h, Chinese/English/Japanese) to be pointed to the right office.
Related Subsidies & Protections
Taiwan Rent Subsidy for Foreigners: How Much and How to Apply
Yes — foreign spouses of Taiwanese nationals and foreign parents raising a Taiwanese child can apply, with bonuses up to 1.8×. Monthly amounts by city, why you do not need the landlord’s consent, and what gets applications rejected.
Social Housing in Taiwan: Can Foreigners Apply?
Not as the applicant — the applicant must be an adult ROC national (Rental Regulations §17), so a foreign spouse is listed as a household member and the Taiwanese spouse applies. Rent falls to roughly 30% of market rate at the lowest income band. What to apply for instead if you are on a work or student ARC.
Taiwan Rent Subsidy: Can Foreigners Apply? (ARC Guide)
Most foreign residents with an ARC can apply — the clearest routes are the spouse of a Taiwanese national, or a parent raising a Taiwanese child. The base is NT$2,000–8,000 a month before multipliers, applications run all year, and you do not move your household registration.
Taiwan Youth Rent Subsidy: NT$2,400–3,600, One Scheme
There is no separate youth rent subsidy to apply to any more — the trial scheme was folded into the NT$30 billion Expanded Rent Subsidy. Single renters under 40 are Level 3 plus a 1.2× multiplier, which works out to about NT$2,400–3,600 a month.