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 $2,538 per month in Australia vs $1,553 in Timor-Leste, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,664 per month in Australia vs $2,403 in Timor-Leste, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,789 per month in Australia vs $3,252 in Timor-Leste, rent included.

The cost of living in Australia is about 63% higher than in 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 85%, Timor-Leste by 13%.

The regional cost range is wider in Australia ($1,207–$3,344) than in Timor-Leste ($1,553–$1,553), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.15 A$25.12

$4.96 $4.96

265.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.3 A$121

$42.07 $42.07

107.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.04 A$15.29

$7.88 $7.88

40.10%

Cappuccino

$4.01 A$5.55

$4.20 $4.20

-4.52%

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

$2.97 A$4.12

$1.64 $1.64

81.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 A$3.30

$2.38 $2.38

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.91 A$10.95

$2.49 $2.49

217.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.96 A$11.02

$4.63 $4.63

71.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 A$2.53

$2.30 $2.30

-20.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 A$3.99

$2.47 $2.47

16.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 A$3.31

$0.94 $0.94

154.26%

Eggs

$5.19 A$7.18

$2.69 $2.69

92.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 A$13.77

$2.05 $2.05

384.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.14 A$12.65

$9.32 $9.32

-1.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.28 A$21.15

$15.87 $15.87

-3.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 A$5.07

$3.42 $3.42

7.02%

Banana (1kg)

$3.07 A$4.26

$1.80 $1.80

70.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.24 A$4.48

$2.53 $2.53

28.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.70 A$6.50

$2.31 $2.31

103.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 A$4.01

$1.19 $1.19

143.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 A$3.40

$1.19 $1.19

106.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 A$3.46

$0.86 $0.86

190.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 A$2.44

$1.02 $1.02

72.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$38.84 A$53.8

$2.97 $2.97

1207.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.50 A$20.08

$12.11 $12.11

19.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.92 A$6.81

$2.20 $2.20

123.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.12 A$7.08

$2.87 $2.87

78.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 A$4.09

$0.26 $0.26

1034.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.9 A$131

$43.18 $43.18

119.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.65 A$5.06

$3.42 $3.42

6.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 A$2.23

$3.56 $3.56

-54.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.79 A$56.5

$20.35 $20.35

100.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 A$1.79

$1.49 $1.49

-12.75%

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

$28.2K A$39.0K

$19.6K $19.6K

44.11%

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

$29.5K A$40.9K

$18.4K $18.4K

60.24%

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

$204 A$282

$149 $149

36.64%

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

$29.50 A$40.84

$27.28 $27.28

8.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.7 A$81.2

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 A$79.4

$49.32 $49.32

16.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.45 A$26.93

Cinema Ticket

$15.70 A$21.73

$6.03 $6.03

160.36%

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

$2,139 A$2,962

$1,500 $1,500

42.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K A$25.5K

$16.0K $16.0K

15.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.7 A$112

$59.8 $59.8

34.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 A$79.6

$30.47 $30.47

88.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 A$162

$80.3 $80.3

45.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 A$177

$61.2 $61.2

108.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,635 A$2,263

$831 $831

96.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 A$1,785

$768 $768

67.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,474 A$3,426

$2,761 $2,761

-10.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,961 A$2,714

$1,501 $1,501

30.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,452 A$11.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,152 A$8,518

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,067 A$5,631

$5,030 $5,030

-19.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

5.37

10.24%

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

Last update for Australia: August 31, 2026

Last update for Timor-Leste: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,423 in Australia vs $824 in Timor-Leste. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,824 in Canberra and $824 in Dili.

Average salary: $3,932 in Australia vs $3,634 in Timor-Leste. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 73% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 102% more in Australia.

Public transport is 167% more expensive in Australia.

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 47% 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 47% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$1,500 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.