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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,755 in Timor-Leste versus $2,017 in Germany.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,648 in Timor-Leste versus $3,048 in Germany.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Timor-Leste versus $4,078 in Germany.

Living in Timor-Leste costs about 13% less than in Germany on average.

Both countries sit above the global median: Timor-Leste 31% above, Germany 51% above.

Internal cost variation is higher in Timor-Leste: monthly costs span $1,755 to $1,755, compared to $1,340$2,866 in Germany. City choice carries more weight in Timor-Leste.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Timor-Leste
Germany
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.02 $5.02
$17.10 €14.97
-70.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.32 $44.32
$76.0 €66.5
-41.65%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.23 $8.23
$11.77 €10.31
-30.08%
Cappuccino
$3.82 $3.82
$3.96 €3.47
-3.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59 $1.59
$3.39 €2.97
-53.10%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43 $1.43
$3.04 €2.66
-52.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.02 $2.02
$5.27 €4.61
-61.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.44 $4.44
$4.64 €4.07
-4.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Timor-Leste
Germany
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.46 $2.46
$1.29 €1.13
90.70%
White Bread (500g)
$2.47 $2.47
$2.19 €1.92
12.79%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.96 $1.96
$3.47 €3.04
-43.52%
Eggs
$2.64 $2.64
$3.91 €3.43
-32.48%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$1.95 $1.95
$15.03 €13.16
-87.03%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.61 $9.61
$13.89 €12.16
-30.81%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.93 $15.93
$20.12 €17.62
-20.83%
Apples (1kg)
$3.56 $3.56
$3.14 €2.75
13.38%
Banana (1kg)
$1.86 $1.86
$1.89 €1.66
-1.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.96 $1.96
$2.34 €2.05
-16.24%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.46 $2.46
$4.74 €4.16
-48.10%
Potato (1kg)
$1.97 $1.97
$1.61 €1.41
22.36%
Onion (1kg)
$1.27 $1.27
$1.57 €1.38
-19.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.02 $1.02
$1.90 €1.66
-46.32%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.98 $0.98
$1.11 €0.97
-11.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.71 $2.71
$9.89 €8.66
-72.60%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.01 $12.01
$5.82 €5.09
106.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.22 $2.22
$1.07 €0.93
107.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 $2.88
$1.68 €1.48
71.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Timor-Leste
Germany
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.26 $0.26
$3.80 €3.33
-93.16%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.6 $56.6
$66.7 €58.4
-15.13%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.57 $3.57
$5.73 €5.02
-37.70%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.31 $3.31
$2.31 €2.03
43.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.38 $20.38
$38.07 €33.34
-46.47%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 $1.49
$1.95 €1.71
-23.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.4K $21.4K
$30.9K €27.1K
-30.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.8K $19.8K
$37.6K €32.9K
-47.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Timor-Leste
Germany
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$148 $148
$349 €305
-57.62%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.53 $29.53
$27.86 €24.40
5.99%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.2 $50.2
$51.0 €44.68
-1.57%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Timor-Leste
Germany
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.12 $49.12
$41.21 €36.09
19.19%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.05 $3.05
$24.50 €21.45
-87.55%
Cinema Ticket
$5.44 $5.44
$13.86 €12.13
-60.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Timor-Leste
Germany
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$472 €413
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.1K $16.1K
$14.9K €13.1K
7.45%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Timor-Leste
Germany
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.6 $60.6
$92.9 €81.3
-34.73%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.67 $29.67
$43.33 €37.95
-31.53%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.5 $78.5
$104 €90.7
-24.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$59.4 $59.4
$131 €115
-54.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Timor-Leste
Germany
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,081 $1,081
$1,037 €908
4.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$935 $935
$762 €667
22.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,434 $3,434
$1,928 €1,689
78.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,643 $1,643
$1,437 €1,259
14.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$6,101 €5,344
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$4,120 €3,608
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Timor-Leste
Germany
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,850 $4,850
$3,351 €2,935
44.72%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.37
3.98
34.92%

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

Last update for Timor-Leste: July 13, 2026

Last update for Germany: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,117 in Timor-Leste, $846 in Germany. Capital cities: $1,117 in Dili vs $1,439 in Berlin.

National salary averages: $3,612 in Timor-Leste, $3,150 in Germany. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 32% higher in Timor-Leste.

Dining out costs 60% more in Germany.

Salaries are 15% 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 Germany: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Germany or Timor-Leste?
At $2,103 per month in Germany and $1,755 in Timor-Leste, there's a 20% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Germany or Timor-Leste?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Timor-Leste: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
How do rents compare between Germany and Timor-Leste?
Rent in Germany is consistently higher than in Timor-Leste across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
How far does $2,500 go in Germany compared to Timor-Leste?
In Timor-Leste, $2,500 covers most cities easily; in Germany it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in Germany and in Timor-Leste?
It depends on what you're after: Timor-Leste wins on affordability; Germany may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

Timor-Leste vs other spots: cost of living compared

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