Taiwan apartment prices vary by floor level and layout style

Real estate trends in Taiwan show significant price variations based on apartment floor levels and architectural styles. According to the Taiwan Housing Group, apartment prices typically decrease as the floor level rises due to the inconvenience of climbing stairs. In Taipei, while first-floor units command higher prices due to commercial or garden potential, top-floor units in southern cities like Kaohsiung and Tainan may see substantial discounts, sometimes selling for as little as 70% of the price of second-floor units.

In southern Taiwan, the availability of older buildings with elevators provides alternatives for buyers seeking value. While top-floor units in older apartments sometimes feature illegal extensions that increase usable space, rising public safety awareness and stricter enforcement have made such structures a risk for demolition. To mitigate issues in aging buildings, the Ministry of the Interior offers subsidies for installing elevators and repairing common areas.

Regarding interior layouts, the popularity of mezzanine-style apartments (louzhonglou) is declining. While some residents appreciate the aesthetic and spatial benefits, others report practical drawbacks such as the difficulty of cleaning, increased electricity consumption for air conditioning, and the inconvenience of navigating stairs for daily tasks like using the bathroom. Experts distinguish between legal mezzanine floors with permanent structures and illegal mezzanine rooms, which are considered non-permanent decorations and subject to removal.