In Taiwan, especially in cities such as Taipei, soaring housing prices have placed the dream of owning a home out of reach for young people. Once considered a major milestone in adulthood, it has become an unattainable goal for many.
Stagnant wages coupled with soaring property prices are at the heart of the problem. The average monthly salary for people in their 20s and 30s is NT$35,000 to NT$45,000 (US$1,159 to US$1,490), government data showed. Some earn even less. By comparison, the average price of an apartment in Taipei is more than NT$10 million.
To prepare for a 20 percent down payment, a young person would have to save nearly all of their income for more than a decade — and that does not account for rent, daily expenses or inflation. Not surprisingly, many young people still live with their parents — not out of convenience, but out of necessity.
As a college student about to graduate and enter the workforce, I am leaning toward living with my parents — not because I want to, but because I have to. The cost of renting a small apartment is too high with entry-level wages. For many, staying at home has become a financial survival strategy rather than a lifestyle choice.
Homeownership, once seen as a natural step toward independence and family life, is an elusive dream. The traditional life path — graduate, work, get married, buy a home, raise a family — no longer fits today’s economic realities. Many young people delay marriage or choose not to have children, because they fear they cannot afford it. Others are giving up on homeownership altogether.
However, housing issues are more than just financial. They also have emotional and psychological effects. More young people say they feel helpless and disillusioned. Despite working long hours and saving diligently, they still find themselves unable to afford a home. That undermines their sense of fairness and belief in social mobility.
Even people in their 40s and 50s, including married couples with children, are often unable to afford a home. For many people, renting has become the norm rather than a transitionary phase.
To that end, the government has implemented schemes such as youth housing loans and rental subsidies. While such measures have slightly eased the burden of renting, they have largely failed to address the underlying problem: the widening gap between house prices and incomes. Critics say the core problem lies in the insufficient regulation of property speculation and an overreliance on real estate as an investment asset.
The problem is compounded by generational misunderstanding. Older people, who were able to afford homes when prices were much lower, sometimes accuse younger people of being unwilling to “suffer” or make sacrifices. That is not the case. The economic landscape has changed fundamentally. Hard work alone no longer guarantees upward mobility. The ratio of wages to house prices is getting worse every year.
Taiwan’s housing crisis is not only an economic problem, but also a social problem. It raises questions about fairness, opportunity and the long-term sustainability of society. Without bold and systemic reforms, Taiwan risks alienating its young population and deepening the wealth gap. Most of the young people around me who have entered the workforce still live with their parents to save on rent.
Solving the housing crisis requires more than just building more homes. It calls for a reassessment of housing itself — not as a speculative commodity, but as a fundamental human right. If Taiwan truly values its younger generations, then owning a home should not be a luxury for a wealthy few, but a realistic goal for all.
Huang Yu-chien is a student in the Department of International Affairs at Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages.
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