For one person, living is cheaper in Timor-Leste: $1,598 a month against $2,317 in Canada, rent and utilities included – about $8,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.
How much you'll spend in Timor-Leste and in Canada
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 Canada actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $1,598 per month in Timor-Leste vs $2,317 in Canada, rent included.
Timor-Leste $1,598
Canada $2,317
A couple spends around $2,482 per month in Timor-Leste vs $3,358 in Canada, rent included.
Timor-Leste $2,482
Canada $3,358
A family of three spends $3,366 per month in Timor-Leste vs $4,399 in Canada, rent included.
Timor-Leste $3,366
Canada $4,399
📏
The regional cost range is wider in Timor-Leste ($1,619–$1,619) than in Canada ($884–$3,722), so city choice matters more there.
🌍
The cost of living in Timor-Leste is roughly 31% lower than in Canada on average.
📊
Both Timor-Leste and Canada are pricier than the global median – Timor-Leste by 18%, Canada by 71%.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Timor-Leste
Canada
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.11$5.11
$18.00CA$25.44
-71.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.38$35.38
$70.6CA$99.8
-49.89%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.57$6.57
$10.78CA$15.24
-39.05%
Cappuccino
$3.95$3.95
$3.74CA$5.29
5.61%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80$1.80
$2.03CA$2.86
-11.33%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88$2.88
$1.71CA$2.42
68.42%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.97$2.97
$5.56CA$7.87
-46.58%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.89$3.89
$5.64CA$7.98
-31.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Timor-Leste
Canada
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.28$2.28
$2.26CA$3.19
0.88%
White Bread(500g)
$2.42$2.42
$2.66CA$3.76
-9.02%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.97$0.97
$3.50CA$4.94
-72.29%
Eggs
$2.64$2.64
$3.64CA$5.14
-27.47%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$1.94$1.94
$10.82CA$15.29
-82.07%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.62$9.62
$11.82CA$16.71
-18.61%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.83$15.83
$15.48CA$21.88
2.26%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28$3.28
$4.14CA$5.85
-20.77%
Banana(1kg)
$1.86$1.86
$1.43CA$2.02
30.07%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.49$2.49
$3.84CA$5.43
-35.16%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.31$2.31
$4.11CA$5.81
-43.80%
Potato(1kg)
$1.20$1.20
$2.60CA$3.67
-53.85%
Onion(1kg)
$1.20$1.20
$2.44CA$3.45
-50.82%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.86$0.86
$2.54CA$3.60
-66.14%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.02$1.02
$1.71CA$2.42
-40.35%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.03$3.03
$14.03CA$19.83
-78.40%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.86$11.86
$13.34CA$18.85
-11.09%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.29$2.29
$2.92CA$4.13
-21.58%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.81$2.81
$3.18CA$4.50
-11.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Timor-Leste
Canada
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.24$0.24
$2.42CA$3.43
-90.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$42.44$42.44
$73.1CA$103
-41.93%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.60$3.60
$3.17CA$4.49
13.56%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.63$3.63
$1.45CA$2.05
150.34%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$19.61$19.61
$26.76CA$37.83
-26.72%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.42$1.42
$1.23CA$1.74
15.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.1K$20.1K
$27.5KCA$38.9K
-26.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.0K$18.0K
$21.2KCA$29.9K
-15.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Timor-Leste
Canada
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$147$147
$146CA$207
0.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.97$26.97
$42.95CA$60.7
-37.21%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
-
$58.3CA$82.4
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Timor-Leste
Canada
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$74.1$74.1
$40.50CA$57.3
82.91%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.38CA$27.40
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.06$6.06
$11.17CA$15.79
-45.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Timor-Leste
Canada
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,527$1,527
$771CA$1,090
98.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.9K$15.9K
$14.5KCA$20.5K
10.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Timor-Leste
Canada
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.1$61.1
$53.9CA$76.2
13.22%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.83$29.83
$38.89CA$55.0
-23.30%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.4$79.4
$88.3CA$125
-10.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$59.1$59.1
$101CA$143
-41.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Timor-Leste
Canada
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$830$830
$1,262CA$1,784
-34.27%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$745$745
$1,139CA$1,610
-34.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,689$2,689
$2,060CA$2,913
30.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,533$1,533
$1,730CA$2,445
-11.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$4,554CA$6,438
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$3,933CA$5,560
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Timor-Leste
Canada
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,866$4,866
$3,050CA$4,312
59.52%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.37
4.87
10.27%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Timor-Leste: October 18, 2026
Last update for Canada: October 20, 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%
Canada
$1.1K 49.2% ↑ 52.9%$394
🛒Groceries & Markets
Timor-Leste
$274 17.2%
Canada
$372 16.1% ↑ 35.5%$97
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Timor-Leste
$174 * 10.9%
Canada
$248 10.7% ↑ 41.9%$73
🍽Eating Out
Timor-Leste
$149 9.3%
Canada
$275 11.9% ↑ 84.5%$126
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Timor-Leste
$103 6.5%
Canada
$127 5.5% ↑ 23.1%$24
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Timor-Leste
$86 5.4%
Canada
$63 2.7% ↓ 27.1%$23
🚌Getting Around
Timor-Leste
$65 4.1%
Canada
$93 4% ↑ 43.1%$28
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Timor-Leste
$1.5K 45.5%
Canada
$1.7K 39.3% ↑ 12.9%$197
🛒Groceries & Markets
Timor-Leste
$635 18.9%
Canada
$850 19.3% ↑ 33.8%$215
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Timor-Leste
$201 * 6%
Canada
$290 6.6% ↑ 44.2%$89
🍽Eating Out
Timor-Leste
$464 13.8%
Canada
$910 20.7% ↑ 96.3%$446
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Timor-Leste
$229 6.8%
Canada
$282 6.4% ↑ 23%$53
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Timor-Leste
$172 * 5.1%
Canada
$145 3.3% ↓ 15.9%$27
🚌Getting Around
Timor-Leste
$131 3.9%
Canada
$191 4.4% ↑ 46.3%$61
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 $1,207 in Canada. For reference, capital cities sit at $815 in Dili and $1,437 in Ottawa.
💰Average salary: $3,531 in Timor-Leste vs $2,936 in Canada. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 48% higher in Canada.
⭐Dining out costs 28% more in Canada.
⭐Public transport is 90% more expensive in Canada.
⭐Salaries are 20% 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 Canada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Canada more expensive than Timor-Leste?
Timor-Leste is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 45% lower on average.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Canada: a central one-bedroom averages $1,207 versus $815 in Timor-Leste.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Groceries, public transport, and eating out all cost less in Timor-Leste, adding to the overall 45% price gap.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget in Canada or in Timor-Leste?
$2,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Timor-Leste, but in Canada it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Should I move to Canada or to Timor-Leste?
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.
Timor-Leste vs other spots: cost of living compared