Cost of Living Comparison Between Timor-Leste and United States Cost of Living Comparison Between Timor-Leste and United States

Name: United States
Address: US

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,755 in Timor-Leste versus $2,642 in United States.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,648 in Timor-Leste versus $3,857 in United States.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Timor-Leste versus $5,072 in United States.

Living in Timor-Leste costs about 34% less than in United States on average.

Both countries sit above the global median: Timor-Leste 31% above, United States 98% above.

Internal cost variation is higher in Timor-Leste: monthly costs span $1,755 to $1,755, compared to $1,335–$5,182 in United States. City choice carries more weight in Timor-Leste.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.02 $5.02

$19.63 $19.63

-74.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.32 $44.32

$75.4 $75.4

-41.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.23 $8.23

$11.57 $11.57

-28.87%

Cappuccino

$3.82 $3.82

$5.22 $5.22

-26.82%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 $1.59

$2.49 $2.49

-36.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 $1.43

$2.06 $2.06

-30.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 $2.02

$5.91 $5.91

-65.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 $4.44

$7.13 $7.13

-37.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.09 $1.09

125.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 $2.47

$3.56 $3.56

-30.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 $1.96

$4.74 $4.74

-58.65%

Eggs

$2.64 $2.64

$4.34 $4.34

-39.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$12.68 $12.68

-84.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.61 $9.61

$12.28 $12.28

-21.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.93 $15.93

$16.60 $16.60

-4.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 $3.56

$5.16 $5.16

-31.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.70 $1.70

9.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 $1.96

$4.45 $4.45

-55.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 $2.46

$4.80 $4.80

-48.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.93 $2.93

-32.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 $1.27

$3.09 $3.09

-58.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.22 $2.22

-54.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 $0.98

$2.25 $2.25

-56.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.71 $2.71

$9.90 $9.90

-72.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.01 $12.01

$15.28 $15.28

-21.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.91 $1.91

16.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 $2.88

$3.58 $3.58

-19.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 $0.26

$2.46 $2.46

-89.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.6 $56.6

$64.6 $64.6

-12.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 $3.57

$3.77 $3.77

-5.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 $3.31

$1.71 $1.71

93.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.38 $20.38

$30.08 $30.08

-32.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.96 $0.96

55.21%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.4K $21.4K

$29.9K $29.9K

-28.47%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$19.8K $19.8K

$26.1K $26.1K

-24.32%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$148 $148

$210 $210

-29.66%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$29.53 $29.53

$56.3 $56.3

-47.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.2 $50.2

$72.9 $72.9

-31.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.12 $49.12

$45.39 $45.39

8.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.05 $3.05

$21.60 $21.60

-85.88%

Cinema Ticket

$5.44 $5.44

$14.04 $14.04

-61.25%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,377 $1,377

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K $16.1K

$22.4K $22.4K

-28.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.6 $60.6

$52.7 $52.7

14.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.67 $29.67

$42.41 $42.41

-30.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 $78.5

$91.8 $91.8

-14.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.4 $59.4

$114 $114

-47.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,081 $1,081

$1,765 $1,765

-38.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$935 $935

$1,462 $1,462

-36.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,434 $3,434

$2,849 $2,849

20.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,643 $1,643

$2,369 $2,369

-30.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,364 $3,364

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,665 $2,665

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,850 $4,850

$4,378 $4,378

10.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.37

6.51

-17.51%

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

Last update for Timor-Leste: July 13, 2026

Last update for United States: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,117 in Timor-Leste, $1,635 in United States. Capital cities: $1,117 in Dili vs $1,625 in Washington, MI.

National salary averages: $3,612 in Timor-Leste, $4,500 in United States. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 46% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 62% more in United States.

Salaries are 25% higher in United States, 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 United States: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $1,755 per month in Timor-Leste and $3,259 in United States, there's a 86% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

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.

Rent in United States 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.

In Timor-Leste, $2,500 covers most cities easily; in United States it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after: Timor-Leste wins on affordability; United States may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.