Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Timor-Leste Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Timor-Leste

Name: Timor-Leste
Address: TL

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,182 per month in Australia vs $1,803 in Timor-Leste, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,216 per month in Australia vs $2,617 in Timor-Leste, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,250 per month in Australia vs $3,431 in Timor-Leste, rent included.

Australia costs about 21% more than Timor-Leste on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Australia and Timor-Leste are pricier than the global median – Australia by 63%, Timor-Leste by 35%.

Australia has a wider regional cost range ($1,579–$2,759) than Timor-Leste ($1,803–$1,803), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Australia.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 A$22.67

$5.08 $5.08

218.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.6 A$110

$44.11 $44.11

78.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.48 A$13.29

$8.10 $8.10

17.04%

Cappuccino

$3.56 A$4.99

$3.80 $3.80

-6.32%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 A$3.64

$1.63 $1.63

59.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 A$3.10

$1.44 $1.44

53.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.47 A$9.07

$1.96 $1.96

230.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.19 A$10.08

$4.48 $4.48

60.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 A$2.19

$2.39 $2.39

-34.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 A$3.55

$2.52 $2.52

0.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 A$2.83

$1.98 $1.98

2.02%

Eggs

$4.47 A$6.26

$2.73 $2.73

63.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.86 A$12.43

$2.02 $2.02

338.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.38 A$11.75

$9.61 $9.61

-12.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.71 A$19.22

$16.11 $16.11

-14.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 A$4.52

$3.60 $3.60

-10.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.84 A$3.99

$1.88 $1.88

51.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 A$4.18

$2.04 $2.04

46.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.38 A$6.14

$2.48 $2.48

76.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.43

$2.05 $2.05

19.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 A$2.96

$1.28 $1.28

64.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 A$3.03

$0.99 $0.99

118.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 A$2.22

$0.97 $0.97

62.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$30.61 A$42.91

$2.76 $2.76

1009.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.23 A$19.95

$11.78 $11.78

20.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.55 A$6.38

$2.21 $2.21

105.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 A$6.88

$2.77 $2.77

77.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.89 A$4.06

$0.24 $0.24

1104.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.5 A$137

$56.9 $56.9

71.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 A$4.97

$3.56 $3.56

-0.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 A$2.45

$3.22 $3.22

-45.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.10 A$53.4

$19.71 $19.71

93.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 A$1.63

$1.50 $1.50

-22.67%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$28.8K A$40.4K

$21.7K $21.7K

32.55%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.2K A$32.5K

$19.6K $19.6K

18.06%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$179 A$251

$149 $149

19.88%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$26.75 A$37.50

$30.35 $30.35

-11.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 A$75.3

$50.5 $50.5

6.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.44 A$67.9

$50.5 $50.5

-4.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.88 A$23.67

$2.96 $2.96

470.27%

Cinema Ticket

$13.61 A$19.08

$5.39 $5.39

152.50%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,605 A$2,250

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K A$17.9K

$15.8K $15.8K

-19.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.4 A$100

$61.0 $61.0

17.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.0 A$70.1

$29.49 $29.49

69.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 A$140

$80.8 $80.8

23.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 A$153

$60.2 $60.2

80.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,385 A$1,942

$1,095 $1,095

26.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,076 A$1,509

$932 $932

15.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,284 A$3,203

$3,457 $3,457

-33.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,757 A$2,463

$1,649 $1,649

6.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,462 A$10.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,617 A$7,875

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,070 A$5,706

$4,921 $4,921

-17.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.35

5.37

18.25%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Australia: June 1, 2026

Last update for Timor-Leste: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,233 in Australia vs $1,096 in Timor-Leste. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,548 in Canberra and $1,096 in Dili.

Average salary: $3,906 in Australia vs $3,561 in Timor-Leste. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 13% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 75% more in Australia.

Salaries are 10% higher in Australia, giving Timor-Leste stronger purchasing power.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Australia vs Timor-Leste: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Timor-Leste is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 20% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Australia, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Australia consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Timor-Leste, contributing to the overall 20% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Timor-Leste, but in Australia it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Timor-Leste is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.