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

Name: Australia
Address: AU

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Timor-Leste is roughly 17% cheaper than Australia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.08 $5.08

$16.17 A$22.67

-68.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.11 $44.11

$78.6 A$110

-43.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.10 $8.10

$9.48 A$13.29

-14.56%

Cappuccino

$3.80 $3.80

$3.56 A$4.99

6.74%

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

$1.63 $1.63

$2.60 A$3.64

-37.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 $1.44

$2.21 A$3.10

-34.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 $1.96

$6.47 A$9.07

-69.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 $4.48

$7.19 A$10.08

-37.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 $2.39

$1.56 A$2.19

53.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.53 A$3.55

-0.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.02 A$2.83

-1.98%

Eggs

$2.73 $2.73

$4.47 A$6.26

-38.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$8.86 A$12.43

-77.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.61 $9.61

$8.38 A$11.75

14.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.11 $16.11

$13.71 A$19.22

17.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 $3.60

$3.23 A$4.52

11.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 $1.88

$2.84 A$3.99

-33.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.98 A$4.18

-31.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.48 $2.48

$4.38 A$6.14

-43.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.45 A$3.43

-16.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 $1.28

$2.11 A$2.96

-39.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 $0.99

$2.16 A$3.03

-54.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.58 A$2.22

-38.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.76 $2.76

$30.61 A$42.91

-90.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.78 $11.78

$14.23 A$19.95

-17.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$4.55 A$6.38

-51.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 $2.77

$4.91 A$6.88

-43.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 $0.24

$2.89 A$4.06

-91.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.9 $56.9

$97.5 A$137

-41.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 $3.56

$3.54 A$4.97

0.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.22 $3.22

$1.75 A$2.45

84.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.71 $19.71

$38.10 A$53.4

-48.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.16 A$1.63

29.31%

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

$21.7K $21.7K

$28.8K A$40.4K

-24.55%

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

$19.6K $19.6K

$23.2K A$32.5K

-15.30%

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

$149 $149

$179 A$251

-16.58%

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

$30.35 $30.35

$26.75 A$37.50

13.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.5 $50.5

$53.7 A$75.3

-5.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.5 $50.5

$48.44 A$67.9

4.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.96 $2.96

$16.88 A$23.67

-82.46%

Cinema Ticket

$5.39 $5.39

$13.61 A$19.08

-60.40%

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

$1,605 A$2,250

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K $15.8K

$12.7K A$17.9K

24.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 $61.0

$71.4 A$100

-14.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.49 $29.49

$50.0 A$70.1

-41.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.8 $80.8

$99.8 A$140

-19.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.2 $60.2

$109 A$153

-44.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,095 $1,095

$1,385 A$1,942

-20.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$932 $932

$1,076 A$1,509

-13.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,457 $3,457

$2,284 A$3,203

51.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,649 $1,649

$1,757 A$2,463

-6.15%

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)

$4,921 $4,921

$4,070 A$5,706

20.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.37

6.35

-15.43%

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

Last update for Timor-Leste: June 1, 2026

Last update for Australia: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Average salary: $3,561 in Timor-Leste vs $3,906 in Australia. 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

Timor-Leste vs Australia: 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.