🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,082 in Turkey versus $1,759 in Timor-Leste.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,677 in Turkey versus $2,632 in Timor-Leste.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,271 in Turkey versus $3,505 in Timor-Leste.
🙂Living in Turkey costs about 38% less than in Timor-Leste on average.
📊Turkey (19% below) and Timor-Leste (31% above) straddle the global median.
📏Internal cost variation is higher in Turkey: monthly costs span $868 to $1,734, compared to $1,759–$1,759 in Timor-Leste. City choice carries more weight in Turkey.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Turkey
Timor-Leste
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.02₺417
$5.04$5.04
78.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.77₺1,793
$44.52$44.52
-12.92%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.07₺374
$7.86$7.86
2.67%
Cappuccino
$3.29₺152
$3.89$3.89
-15.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34₺61.9
$1.59$1.59
-15.72%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49₺22.78
$1.38$1.38
-64.49%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.46₺160
$2.05$2.05
68.78%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.48₺207
$4.44$4.44
0.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Turkey
Timor-Leste
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.03₺47.56
$2.48$2.48
-58.47%
White Bread(500g)
$0.80₺36.94
$2.50$2.50
-68.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.25₺104
$2.04$2.04
10.29%
Eggs
$2.28₺105
$2.78$2.78
-17.99%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.04₺465
$1.98$1.98
407.07%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.86₺271
$9.28$9.28
-36.85%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$19.07₺882
$15.69$15.69
21.54%
Apples(1kg)
$1.35₺62.4
$3.48$3.48
-61.21%
Banana(1kg)
$2.30₺107
$1.78$1.78
29.21%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.18₺54.6
$2.01$2.01
-41.29%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.48₺68.6
$2.48$2.48
-40.32%
Potato(1kg)
$0.75₺34.78
$1.95$1.95
-61.54%
Onion(1kg)
$0.62₺28.54
$1.21$1.21
-48.76%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.05₺48.54
$1.01$1.01
3.96%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51₺23.66
$0.98$0.98
-47.96%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.12₺98.0
$2.70$2.70
-21.48%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.95₺507
$12.23$12.23
-10.47%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.15₺99.3
$2.19$2.19
-1.83%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82₺131
$2.75$2.75
2.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Turkey
Timor-Leste
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.68₺31.33
$0.24$0.24
183.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$45.74₺2,116
$56.9$56.9
-19.66%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.10₺50.9
$3.41$3.41
-67.74%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.65₺30.04
$3.15$3.15
-79.37%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.58₺351
$19.94$19.94
-61.99%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.19₺55.0
$1.48$1.48
-19.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$43.8K₺2.0M
$21.2K$21.2K
106.48%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$44.2K₺2.0M
$19.8K$19.8K
122.57%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Turkey
Timor-Leste
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$70.8₺3,276
$150$150
-52.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.01₺510
$29.78$29.78
-63.03%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$13.65₺632
$49.20$49.20
-72.26%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Turkey
Timor-Leste
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$49.73₺2,301
$49.57$49.57
0.32%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.71₺819
$3.05$3.05
480.66%
Cinema Ticket
$6.31₺292
$5.36$5.36
17.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Turkey
Timor-Leste
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$623₺28.8K
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$12.7K₺589.6K
$15.8K$15.8K
-19.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Turkey
Timor-Leste
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.3₺2,514
$59.3$59.3
-8.30%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.71₺2,022
$29.65$29.65
47.42%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$105₺4,863
$79.7$79.7
31.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.0₺4,485
$61.0$61.0
58.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Turkey
Timor-Leste
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$651₺30.1K
$1,082$1,082
-39.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$459₺21.2K
$943$943
-51.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,180₺54.6K
$3,434$3,434
-65.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$738₺34.1K
$1,683$1,683
-56.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,711₺79.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,101₺51.0K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Turkey
Timor-Leste
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,092₺50.5K
$4,947$4,947
-77.92%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
42.38
5.37
689.20%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Turkey: June 6, 2026
Last update for Timor-Leste: June 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $527 in Turkey, $1,084 in Timor-Leste. Capital cities: $737 in Ankara vs $1,084 in Dili.
💰National salary averages: $1,051 in Turkey, $3,561 in Timor-Leste. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 106% higher in Timor-Leste.
⭐Dining out costs 50% more in Timor-Leste.
⭐Salaries are 239% 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
Turkey vs Timor-Leste: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Timor-Leste and Turkey?
At $1,759 per month in Timor-Leste and $1,301 in Turkey, there's a 35% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Turkey 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.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Timor-Leste beats Turkey across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget in Timor-Leste or Turkey?
In Turkey, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In Timor-Leste, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Timor-Leste or Turkey?
It depends on what you're after. Turkey wins on affordability; Timor-Leste may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.