Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Timor-Leste and Canada

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.

🇹🇱 Timor-Leste
$1,598
/mo nomad
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,317
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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
🍽 Eating Out
Timor-Leste
Canada
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.11 $5.11
$18.00 CA$25.44
-71.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.38 $35.38
$70.6 CA$99.8
-49.89%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.57 $6.57
$10.78 CA$15.24
-39.05%
Cappuccino
$3.95 $3.95
$3.74 CA$5.29
5.61%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 $1.80
$2.03 CA$2.86
-11.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 $2.88
$1.71 CA$2.42
68.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.97 $2.97
$5.56 CA$7.87
-46.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.89 $3.89
$5.64 CA$7.98
-31.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Timor-Leste
Canada
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.28 $2.28
$2.26 CA$3.19
0.88%
White Bread (500g)
$2.42 $2.42
$2.66 CA$3.76
-9.02%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.97 $0.97
$3.50 CA$4.94
-72.29%
Eggs
$2.64 $2.64
$3.64 CA$5.14
-27.47%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$1.94 $1.94
$10.82 CA$15.29
-82.07%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.62 $9.62
$11.82 CA$16.71
-18.61%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.83 $15.83
$15.48 CA$21.88
2.26%
Apples (1kg)
$3.28 $3.28
$4.14 CA$5.85
-20.77%
Banana (1kg)
$1.86 $1.86
$1.43 CA$2.02
30.07%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.49 $2.49
$3.84 CA$5.43
-35.16%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.31 $2.31
$4.11 CA$5.81
-43.80%
Potato (1kg)
$1.20 $1.20
$2.60 CA$3.67
-53.85%
Onion (1kg)
$1.20 $1.20
$2.44 CA$3.45
-50.82%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.86 $0.86
$2.54 CA$3.60
-66.14%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.02 $1.02
$1.71 CA$2.42
-40.35%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.03 $3.03
$14.03 CA$19.83
-78.40%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.86 $11.86
$13.34 CA$18.85
-11.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.29 $2.29
$2.92 CA$4.13
-21.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.81 $2.81
$3.18 CA$4.50
-11.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Timor-Leste
Canada
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.24 $0.24
$2.42 CA$3.43
-90.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$42.44 $42.44
$73.1 CA$103
-41.93%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.60 $3.60
$3.17 CA$4.49
13.56%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.63 $3.63
$1.45 CA$2.05
150.34%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$19.61 $19.61
$26.76 CA$37.83
-26.72%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.42 $1.42
$1.23 CA$1.74
15.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.1K $20.1K
$27.5K CA$38.9K
-26.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.0K $18.0K
$21.2K CA$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
$146 CA$207
0.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.97 $26.97
$42.95 CA$60.7
-37.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
-
$58.3 CA$82.4
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Timor-Leste
Canada
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$74.1 $74.1
$40.50 CA$57.3
82.91%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.38 CA$27.40
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.06 $6.06
$11.17 CA$15.79
-45.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Timor-Leste
Canada
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,527 $1,527
$771 CA$1,090
98.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.9K $15.9K
$14.5K CA$20.5K
10.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Timor-Leste
Canada
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.1 $61.1
$53.9 CA$76.2
13.22%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.83 $29.83
$38.89 CA$55.0
-23.30%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.4 $79.4
$88.3 CA$125
-10.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$59.1 $59.1
$101 CA$143
-41.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Timor-Leste
Canada
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$830 $830
$1,262 CA$1,784
-34.27%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$745 $745
$1,139 CA$1,610
-34.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,689 $2,689
$2,060 CA$2,913
30.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,533 $1,533
$1,730 CA$2,445
-11.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,554 CA$6,438
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$3,933 CA$5,560
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Timor-Leste
Canada
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,866 $4,866
$3,050 CA$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.
Accommodation & Living
Timor-Leste
$745
Canada
$1.1K 52.9% $394
Groceries & Markets
Timor-Leste
$274
Canada
$372 35.5% $97
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Timor-Leste
$174 *
Canada
$248 41.9% $73
Eating Out
Timor-Leste
$149
Canada
$275 84.5% $126
Clothing & Footwear
Timor-Leste
$103
Canada
$127 23.1% $24
Sport & Entertainment
Timor-Leste
$86
Canada
$63 27.1% $23
Getting Around
Timor-Leste
$65
Canada
$93 43.1% $28

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.

Good to know
🇹🇱 Timor-Leste
🇨🇦 Canada
🕒 Local time
10:45 10:45 AM
21:45 9:45 PM
13 h behind Timor-Leste
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,243,235
36,991,981
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Timor-Leste Canada 15,440 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Timor-Leste
  • Canada

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

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