😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,803 in Timor-Leste versus $1,646 in Spain.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,617 in Timor-Leste versus $2,401 in Spain.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,431 in Timor-Leste versus $3,155 in Spain.
😐Living in Timor-Leste is roughly 10% more expensive than Spain on average.
📊Both countries sit above the global median: Timor-Leste35% above, Spain23% above.
📏Internal cost variation is higher in Timor-Leste: monthly costs span $1,803 to $1,803, compared to $1,133–$3,262 in Spain. City choice carries more weight in Timor-Leste.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Timor-Leste
Spain
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.08$5.08
$16.17€13.92
-68.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.11$44.11
$57.3€49.31
-22.99%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.10$8.10
$10.62€9.14
-23.73%
Cappuccino
$3.80$3.80
$2.38€2.05
59.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63$1.63
$2.59€2.23
-37.07%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.44$1.44
$1.91€1.64
-24.61%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.96$1.96
$3.49€3.00
-43.84%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.48$4.48
$4.03€3.47
11.17%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Timor-Leste
Spain
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.39$2.39
$1.24€1.07
92.74%
White Bread(500g)
$2.52$2.52
$1.59€1.37
58.49%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.98$1.98
$1.59€1.37
24.53%
Eggs
$2.73$2.73
$3.05€2.63
-10.49%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$2.02$2.02
$14.55€12.53
-86.12%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.61$9.61
$8.42€7.25
14.13%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$16.11$16.11
$15.52€13.36
3.80%
Apples(1kg)
$3.60$3.60
$2.54€2.18
41.73%
Banana(1kg)
$1.88$1.88
$2.01€1.73
-6.47%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.04$2.04
$2.09€1.80
-2.39%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.48$2.48
$2.53€2.18
-1.98%
Potato(1kg)
$2.05$2.05
$1.85€1.59
10.81%
Onion(1kg)
$1.28$1.28
$1.89€1.63
-32.28%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99$0.99
$1.35€1.16
-26.67%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.97$0.97
$0.74€0.64
31.08%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.76$2.76
$6.35€5.47
-56.54%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.78$11.78
$5.66€4.87
108.13%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.21$2.21
$1.25€1.08
76.80%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77$2.77
$2.06€1.77
34.47%
🚌 Getting Around
Timor-Leste
Spain
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.24$0.24
$1.69€1.46
-85.80%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$56.9$56.9
$35.10€30.22
62.17%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.56$3.56
$4.42€3.80
-19.46%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.22$3.22
$1.34€1.15
140.30%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$19.71$19.71
$26.32€22.66
-25.11%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.50$1.50
$1.84€1.58
-18.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.7K$21.7K
$38.8K€33.4K
-44.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.6K$19.6K
$31.6K€27.2K
-37.88%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Timor-Leste
Spain
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$149$149
$150€130
-0.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$30.35$30.35
$20.56€17.70
47.62%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.5$50.5
$34.49€29.70
46.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Timor-Leste
Spain
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$50.5$50.5
$47.96€41.29
5.32%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$2.96$2.96
$16.05€13.81
-81.56%
Cinema Ticket
$5.39$5.39
$8.99€7.74
-40.04%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Timor-Leste
Spain
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
-
$509€438
-
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K$15.8K
$9,884€8,509
59.94%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Timor-Leste
Spain
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.0$61.0
$86.5€74.5
-29.52%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.49$29.49
$37.14€31.98
-20.60%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.8$80.8
$92.0€79.2
-12.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$60.2$60.2
$109€93.7
-44.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Timor-Leste
Spain
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,095$1,095
$1,045€900
4.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$932$932
$834€718
11.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$3,457$3,457
$1,689€1,454
104.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,649$1,649
$1,238€1,066
33.14%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$4,378€3,769
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,747€2,365
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Timor-Leste
Spain
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,921$4,921
$2,073€1,785
137.37%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.37
3.51
52.99%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Timor-Leste: June 1, 2026
Last update for Spain: May 30, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $1,096 in Timor-Leste, $898 in Spain. Capital cities: $1,096 in Dili vs $1,566 in Madrid.
💰National salary averages: $3,561 in Timor-Leste, $2,030 in Spain. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 22% higher in Timor-Leste.
⭐Dining out costs 20% more in Spain.
⭐Salaries are 75% higher in Timor-Leste, giving Timor-Leste stronger purchasing power.
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 Spain: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Spain or Timor-Leste?
At $2,198 per month in Spain and $1,803 in Timor-Leste, there's a 22% 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: Spain or Timor-Leste?
Timor-Leste is simply cheaper day-to-day: 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 Spain and Timor-Leste?
Rent in Spain beats 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 Spain vs Timor-Leste?
In Timor-Leste, $2,500 covers most cities easily. In Spain, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in Spain and Timor-Leste?
It depends on what you're after. Timor-Leste wins on affordability; Spain 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