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

Name: Timor-Leste
Address: TL

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $712 in China versus $1,755 in Timor-Leste.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,131 in China versus $2,648 in Timor-Leste.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,550 in China versus $3,540 in Timor-Leste.

Living in China costs about 59% less than in Timor-Leste on average.

China (47% below) and Timor-Leste (31% above) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in China: monthly costs span $532 to $1,192, compared to $1,755–$1,755 in Timor-Leste. City choice carries more weight in China.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 ¥19.32

$5.02 $5.02

-43.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.44 ¥158

$44.32 $44.32

-47.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 ¥32.70

$8.23 $8.23

-41.19%

Cappuccino

$3.11 ¥21.03

$3.82 $3.82

-18.59%

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

$0.44 ¥2.99

$1.59 $1.59

-72.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.99

$1.43 $1.43

-79.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ¥6.63

$2.02 $2.02

-51.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥13.86

$4.44 $4.44

-53.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 ¥12.45

$2.46 $2.46

-25.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ¥10.92

$2.47 $2.47

-34.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.27

$1.96 $1.96

-52.55%

Eggs

$1.63 ¥11.01

$2.64 $2.64

-38.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.15 ¥88.8

$1.95 $1.95

574.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.26 ¥22.06

$9.61 $9.61

-66.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.62 ¥71.8

$15.93 $15.93

-33.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.17

$3.56 $3.56

-49.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 ¥8.76

$1.86 $1.86

-30.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.88

$1.96 $1.96

-25.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.13

$2.46 $2.46

-51.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ¥5.13

$1.97 $1.97

-61.42%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 ¥5.93

$1.27 $1.27

-30.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 ¥3.86

$1.02 $1.02

-44.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.62

$0.98 $0.98

-44.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.42 ¥23.14

$2.71 $2.71

26.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.75 ¥79.4

$12.01 $12.01

-2.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.39

$2.22 $2.22

-63.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ¥10.94

$2.88 $2.88

-43.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.93

$0.26 $0.26

65.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.47 ¥138

$56.6 $56.6

-63.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ¥9.22

$3.57 $3.57

-61.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.39

$3.31 $3.31

-89.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.50 ¥43.90

$20.38 $20.38

-68.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ¥7.58

$1.49 $1.49

-24.83%

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

$19.5K ¥131.6K

$21.4K $21.4K

-8.85%

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

$16.9K ¥113.9K

$19.8K $19.8K

-14.78%

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

$51.7 ¥349

$148 $148

-65.02%

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

$10.17 ¥68.7

$29.53 $29.53

-65.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.16 ¥75.4

$50.2 $50.2

-77.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.62 ¥268

$49.12 $49.12

-19.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.53 ¥98.2

$3.05 $3.05

376.39%

Cinema Ticket

$6.38 ¥43.12

$5.44 $5.44

17.28%

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

$407 ¥2,752

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K ¥120.5K

$16.1K $16.1K

11.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.53 ¥308

$60.6 $60.6

-24.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.31 ¥218

$29.67 $29.67

8.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 ¥490

$78.5 $78.5

-7.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.4 ¥503

$59.4 $59.4

25.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 ¥2,992

$1,081 $1,081

-59.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$258 ¥1,745

$935 $935

-72.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ¥6,152

$3,434 $3,434

-73.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$543 ¥3,672

$1,643 $1,643

-66.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,934 ¥33.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,398 ¥16.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,065 ¥7,194

$4,850 $4,850

-78.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

5.37

-24.39%

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

Last update for China: July 13, 2026

Last update for Timor-Leste: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $287 in China, $1,117 in Timor-Leste. Capital cities: $894 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,117 in Dili.

National salary averages: $855 in China, $3,612 in Timor-Leste. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 289% higher in Timor-Leste.

Dining out costs 114% more in Timor-Leste.

Salaries are 322% higher in Timor-Leste, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Timor-Leste.

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

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

At $862 per month in China and $1,755 in Timor-Leste, there's a 104% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in China: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in Timor-Leste is consistently higher than in China across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In China, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in Timor-Leste it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after: China wins on affordability; Timor-Leste may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.