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: $1,553 in Timor-Leste versus $2,622 in United States.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,403 in Timor-Leste versus $3,830 in United States.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,252 in Timor-Leste versus $5,038 in United States.

Living in Timor-Leste costs about 41% less than in United States on average.

Both countries sit above the global median: Timor-Leste 13% above, United States 91% above.

Internal cost variation is higher in Timor-Leste: monthly costs span $1,553 to $1,553, compared to $983–$5,177 in United States. City choice carries more weight in Timor-Leste.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.96 $4.96

$19.78 $19.78

-74.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.07 $42.07

$81.4 $81.4

-48.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.88 $7.88

$12.11 $12.11

-34.93%

Cappuccino

$4.20 $4.20

$5.44 $5.44

-22.79%

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

$1.64 $1.64

$2.67 $2.67

-38.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.08 $2.08

14.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 $2.49

$6.06 $6.06

-58.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 $4.63

$8.14 $8.14

-43.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 $2.30

$1.05 $1.05

119.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 $2.47

$3.65 $3.65

-32.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 $0.94

$4.45 $4.45

-78.88%

Eggs

$2.69 $2.69

$4.35 $4.35

-38.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.05 $2.05

$12.73 $12.73

-83.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.32 $9.32

$12.46 $12.46

-25.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 $15.87

$16.95 $16.95

-6.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 $3.42

$5.30 $5.30

-35.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.70 $1.70

5.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 $2.53

$4.40 $4.40

-42.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 $2.31

$5.01 $5.01

-53.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 $1.19

$2.87 $2.87

-58.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 $1.19

$3.13 $3.13

-61.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 $0.86

$2.32 $2.32

-62.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.34 $2.34

-56.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 $2.97

$10.55 $10.55

-71.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.11 $12.11

$14.94 $14.94

-18.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.12 $2.12

3.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 $2.87

$3.69 $3.69

-22.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 $0.26

$2.37 $2.37

-89.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.18 $43.18

$65.1 $65.1

-33.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 $3.42

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.56 $3.56

$1.89 $1.89

88.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.35 $20.35

$30.16 $30.16

-32.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.98 $0.98

52.04%

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

$19.6K $19.6K

$35.9K $35.9K

-45.56%

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

$18.4K $18.4K

$25.9K $25.9K

-28.91%

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

$149 $149

$218 $218

-31.54%

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

$27.28 $27.28

$61.0 $61.0

-55.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.8 $74.8

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.32 $49.32

$44.42 $44.42

11.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.53 $22.53

Cinema Ticket

$6.03 $6.03

$14.80 $14.80

-59.26%

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

$1,500 $1,500

$1,476 $1,476

1.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K $16.0K

$25.9K $25.9K

-38.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 $59.8

$54.4 $54.4

10.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.47 $30.47

$43.59 $43.59

-30.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 $80.3

$92.9 $92.9

-13.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.2 $61.2

$114 $114

-46.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$831 $831

$1,639 $1,639

-49.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$768 $768

$1,358 $1,358

-43.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,761 $2,761

$2,699 $2,699

2.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,501 $1,501

$2,199 $2,199

-31.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,269 $3,269

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,589 $2,589

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,030 $5,030

$4,357 $4,357

15.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.37

6.21

-13.53%

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

Last update for Timor-Leste: August 29, 2026

Last update for United States: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $824 in Timor-Leste, $1,606 in United States. Capital cities: $824 in Dili vs $1,373 in Columbia, TN.

National salary averages: $3,634 in Timor-Leste, $4,519 in United States. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 95% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 79% more in United States.

Salaries are 24% 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 $1,553 per month in Timor-Leste and $3,080 in United States, there's a 98% 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, $1,500 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.