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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,755 per month in Timor-Leste vs $765 in Brazil, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,648 per month in Timor-Leste vs $1,224 in Brazil, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,540 per month in Timor-Leste vs $1,682 in Brazil, rent included.

The cost of living in Timor-Leste is about 129% higher than in Brazil on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Timor-Leste sits 31% above the global median, while Brazil is 43% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

The regional cost range is wider in Timor-Leste ($1,755$1,755) than in Brazil ($569$1,054), so city choice matters more there.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Timor-Leste
Brazil
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.02 $5.02
$5.26 R$26.79
-4.56%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.32 $44.32
$29.40 R$150
50.75%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.23 $8.23
$6.32 R$32.17
30.22%
Cappuccino
$3.82 $3.82
$1.71 R$8.72
123.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59 $1.59
$1.08 R$5.52
47.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43 $1.43
$0.71 R$3.63
101.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.02 $2.02
$1.76 R$8.95
14.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.44 $4.44
$2.67 R$13.61
66.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Timor-Leste
Brazil
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.46 $2.46
$0.97 R$4.94
153.61%
White Bread (500g)
$2.47 $2.47
$1.48 R$7.52
66.89%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.96 $1.96
$1.22 R$6.23
60.66%
Eggs
$2.64 $2.64
$2.10 R$10.68
25.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$1.95 $1.95
$8.58 R$43.68
-77.27%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.61 $9.61
$3.69 R$18.79
160.43%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.93 $15.93
$7.53 R$38.33
111.55%
Apples (1kg)
$3.56 $3.56
$2.10 R$10.71
69.52%
Banana (1kg)
$1.86 $1.86
$1.29 R$6.55
44.19%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.96 $1.96
$1.19 R$6.04
64.71%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.46 $2.46
$1.42 R$7.23
73.24%
Potato (1kg)
$1.97 $1.97
$1.17 R$5.95
68.38%
Onion (1kg)
$1.27 $1.27
$1.09 R$5.57
16.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.02 $1.02
$0.70 R$3.58
45.71%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.98 $0.98
$0.66 R$3.35
48.48%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.71 $2.71
$2.20 R$11.22
23.18%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.01 $12.01
$7.79 R$39.68
54.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.22 $2.22
$1.19 R$6.05
86.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 $2.88
$2.20 R$11.21
30.91%
🚌 Getting Around
Timor-Leste
Brazil
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.26 $0.26
$0.86 R$4.36
-69.77%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.6 $56.6
$40.96 R$209
38.16%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.57 $3.57
$1.11 R$5.63
221.62%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.31 $3.31
$0.88 R$4.46
276.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.38 $20.38
$7.15 R$36.39
185.03%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 $1.49
$1.09 R$5.54
36.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.4K $21.4K
$21.6K R$109.9K
-1.06%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.8K $19.8K
$28.0K R$142.8K
-29.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Timor-Leste
Brazil
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$148 $148
$68.7 R$350
115.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.53 $29.53
$13.97 R$71.2
111.38%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.2 $50.2
$18.99 R$96.7
164.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Timor-Leste
Brazil
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.12 $49.12
$22.60 R$115
117.35%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.05 $3.05
$22.90 R$117
-86.68%
Cinema Ticket
$5.44 $5.44
$6.45 R$32.82
-15.66%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Timor-Leste
Brazil
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$283 R$1,442
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.1K $16.1K
$7,455 R$38.0K
115.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Timor-Leste
Brazil
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.6 $60.6
$48.29 R$246
25.49%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.67 $29.67
$43.14 R$220
-31.22%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.5 $78.5
$74.9 R$381
4.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$59.4 $59.4
$62.1 R$316
-4.49%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Timor-Leste
Brazil
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,081 $1,081
$327 R$1,666
230.47%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$935 $935
$227 R$1,154
312.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,434 $3,434
$650 R$3,308
428.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,643 $1,643
$450 R$2,292
264.99%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$1,866 R$9,501
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,259 R$6,408
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Timor-Leste
Brazil
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,850 $4,850
$527 R$2,683
820.40%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.37
11.16
-51.88%

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

Last update for Timor-Leste: July 13, 2026

Last update for Brazil: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,117 in Timor-Leste vs $305 in Brazil. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,117 in Dili and $409 in Brasilia.

Average salary: $3,612 in Timor-Leste vs $484 in Brazil. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 266% higher in Timor-Leste.

Dining out costs 67% more in Timor-Leste.

Salaries are 646% 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
Timor-Leste vs Brazil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do Brazil and Timor-Leste compare in cost of living?
Brazil is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 116% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
How do rents compare between Brazil and Timor-Leste?
Housing costs more in Timor-Leste, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Timor-Leste consistently has higher rents.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Brazil or Timor-Leste?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Brazil, contributing to the overall 116% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
How far does $2,000 go in Brazil compared to Timor-Leste?
$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Brazil, but in Timor-Leste it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
How do I choose between living in Brazil and in Timor-Leste?
Brazil 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.

Timor-Leste vs other spots: cost of living compared

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