For one person, living is cheaper in Brazil: $909 a month against $1,598 in Timor-Leste, rent and utilities included – about $8,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
How much you'll spend in Timor-Leste and in Brazil
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Timor-Leste and in Brazil actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $1,598 per month in Timor-Leste vs $909 in Brazil, rent included.
Timor-Leste $1,598
Brazil $909
A couple spends around $2,482 per month in Timor-Leste vs $1,446 in Brazil, rent included.
Timor-Leste $2,482
Brazil $1,446
A family of three spends $3,366 per month in Timor-Leste vs $1,983 in Brazil, rent included.
Timor-Leste $3,366
Brazil $1,983
📏
The regional cost range is wider in Timor-Leste ($1,619–$1,619) than in Brazil ($608–$1,432), so city choice matters more there.
🌍
The cost of living in Timor-Leste is about 76% higher than in Brazil on average.
📊
Timor-Leste sits 18% above the global median, while Brazil is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Timor-Leste
Brazil
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.11$5.11
$7.15R$36.23
-28.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.38$35.38
$33.99R$172
4.09%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.57$6.57
$8.03R$40.72
-18.18%
Cappuccino
$3.95$3.95
$2.11R$10.69
87.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80$1.80
$1.28R$6.47
40.63%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88$2.88
$0.73R$3.71
294.52%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.97$2.97
$2.03R$10.30
46.31%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.89$3.89
$3.02R$15.30
28.81%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Timor-Leste
Brazil
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.28$2.28
$1.08R$5.49
111.11%
White Bread(500g)
$2.42$2.42
$1.70R$8.60
42.35%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.97$0.97
$1.25R$6.36
-22.40%
Eggs
$2.64$2.64
$2.25R$11.42
17.33%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$1.94$1.94
$9.68R$49.06
-79.96%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.62$9.62
$4.26R$21.60
125.82%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.83$15.83
$8.22R$41.69
92.58%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28$3.28
$2.32R$11.76
41.38%
Banana(1kg)
$1.86$1.86
$1.36R$6.89
36.76%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.49$2.49
$1.28R$6.49
94.53%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.31$2.31
$1.55R$7.86
49.03%
Potato(1kg)
$1.20$1.20
$1.18R$5.98
1.69%
Onion(1kg)
$1.20$1.20
$1.13R$5.73
6.19%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.86$0.86
$0.81R$4.13
6.17%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.02$1.02
$0.77R$3.88
32.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.03$3.03
$2.45R$12.40
23.67%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.86$11.86
$7.83R$39.69
51.47%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.29$2.29
$1.34R$6.79
70.90%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.81$2.81
$2.34R$11.88
20.09%
🚌 Getting Around
Timor-Leste
Brazil
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.24$0.24
$0.98R$4.99
-75.51%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$42.44$42.44
$48.03R$243
-11.64%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.60$3.60
$1.26R$6.40
185.71%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.63$3.63
$1.03R$5.21
252.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$19.61$19.61
$7.89R$40.00
148.54%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.42$1.42
$1.25R$6.35
13.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.1K$20.1K
$23.1KR$117.3K
-13.12%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.0K$18.0K
$32.7KR$165.8K
-45.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Timor-Leste
Brazil
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$147$147
$82.9R$420
77.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.97$26.97
$12.87R$65.3
109.56%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
-
$21.04R$107
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Timor-Leste
Brazil
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$74.1$74.1
$25.13R$127
194.79%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$26.63R$135
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.06$6.06
$7.60R$38.51
-20.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Timor-Leste
Brazil
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,527$1,527
$340R$1,724
349.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.9K$15.9K
$9,119R$46.2K
74.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Timor-Leste
Brazil
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.1$61.1
$53.7R$272
13.77%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.83$29.83
$48.57R$246
-38.58%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.4$79.4
$90.3R$458
-12.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$59.1$59.1
$71.6R$363
-17.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Timor-Leste
Brazil
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$830$830
$391R$1,980
112.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$745$745
$249R$1,260
199.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,689$2,689
$725R$3,677
270.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,533$1,533
$486R$2,462
215.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$1,896R$9,612
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$1,302R$6,602
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Timor-Leste
Brazil
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,866$4,866
$538R$2,727
804.37%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.37
11.19
-52.01%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Timor-Leste: October 18, 2026
Last update for Brazil: October 18, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Timor-Leste
$745 46.6%
Brazil
$249 27.4% ↓ 66.6%$497
🛒Groceries & Markets
Timor-Leste
$274 17.2%
Brazil
$195 21.4% ↓ 29%$80
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Timor-Leste
$174 * 10.9%
Brazil
$117 12.9% ↓ 33%$58
🍽Eating Out
Timor-Leste
$149 9.3%
Brazil
$131 14.4% ↓ 12.3%$18
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Timor-Leste
$103 6.5%
Brazil
$119 13.1% ↑ 15.1%$16
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Timor-Leste
$86 5.4%
Brazil
$40 4.4% ↓ 53.2%$46
🚌Getting Around
Timor-Leste
$65 4.1%
Brazil
$58 6.4% ↓ 10.4%$6.8
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Timor-Leste
$1.5K 45.5%
Brazil
$486 24.5% ↓ 68.3%$1K
🛒Groceries & Markets
Timor-Leste
$635 18.9%
Brazil
$448 22.6% ↓ 29.5%$187
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Timor-Leste
$201 * 6%
Brazil
$130 6.5% ↓ 35.6%$72
🍽Eating Out
Timor-Leste
$464 13.8%
Brazil
$430 21.7% ↓ 7.3%$34
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Timor-Leste
$229 6.8%
Brazil
$264 13.3% ↑ 15.1%$35
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Timor-Leste
$172 * 5.1%
Brazil
$107 5.4% ↓ 37.8%$65
🚌Getting Around
Timor-Leste
$131 3.9%
Brazil
$119 6% ↓ 9.2%$12
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠Average rent: $815 in Timor-Leste vs $349 in Brazil. For reference, capital cities sit at $815 in Dili and $494 in Brasilia.
💰Average salary: $3,531 in Timor-Leste vs $499 in Brazil. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 134% higher in Timor-Leste.
⭐Dining out costs 61% more in Timor-Leste.
⭐Public transport is 32% more expensive in Brazil.
⭐Salaries are 608% higher in Timor-Leste, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Timor-Leste.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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 76% lower on average.
How do rents compare between Brazil and Timor-Leste?
Housing costs more in Timor-Leste: a central one-bedroom averages $815 versus $349 in Brazil.
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