MigrantoAverage salary in East Timor
Gross and take-home pay, by industry and against other countries
Average salary
Take-home / mo
$133
Gross / yr
$1,740
East Timor is one of the youngest and smallest economies in the region, and its pay sits at the bottom both globally and within Asia. Almost none of it goes to tax, so what you earn is what you keep — though the figure itself is small, and the spread between fields is unusually wide.
Salaries in East Timor by industry
Here, the field you work in decides your pay to a degree few places match. Finance, tech and communications, and health and social work sit far above the arts, mining, and the odd-jobs service trades — the distance between top and bottom is dramatic. For someone arriving with a profession, that gap is exactly where the chance to earn well lives.
Salary calculator
What you could earn in East Timor
Tell us what you do and what you earn today — we'll estimate what someone with your background could earn in East Timor, what your living costs might be, and what you could save
- What someone in your field earns
- What you could spend and save
- How it compares with today
Take-home in East Timor
$74/mo
vs $1,200 in your country
Cost of living
$50
vs $800 in your country
Potential savings
$24
more than in your country
Standard of living
Under a minute, no sign-up
How salaries in East Timor compare
East Timor sits at the bottom of both the world and the region, with very little below it. It's a new, small economy still assembling the industries that lift wages, so the low standing reads as a country at the start of building rather than one that has stalled.
Data source: Mean monthly earnings 2021 (ILOSTAT), adjusted to 2026 using IMF GDP-per-capita growth
Ask Migo
Tap a question — our AI assistant answers it in chat
Frequently asked questions
What is the average salary in East Timor?
The average salary in East Timor is $145 a month before tax, or $133 take-home after tax and social contributions. Over a year that's $1,740 before tax and $1,596 after.
What salary do you need to live comfortably in East Timor?
A typical person in East Timor spends about $92 a month, while the average take-home pay is $133. How much you need to live comfortably depends on the city, your family situation, and how you usually spend. See the cost of living in East Timor for the full picture.
What are the highest-paying jobs in East Timor?
The highest-paying jobs in East Timor are in finance, IT, and healthcare. Take-home pay in these industries averages around $274 a month (about $3,564 gross a year), roughly 106% above the national average.
What are the lowest-paying jobs in East Timor?
Other is the lowest-paying industry in East Timor. Pay there averages around $25 a month take-home (about $324 gross a year). For comparison, the highest-paying industries pay about 11 times more.
What is a good salary in East Timor?
A good salary in East Timor is generally one above the national average — more than $133 take-home a month, or $1,740 gross a year. But a lot depends on your spending, where you live, and your financial goals.
Is East Timor a high-salary country?
No. By average after-tax pay, East Timor is ahead of 5% of countries worldwide and ranks 30th out of 30 countries in Asia.
Where to live?
Match a country to your priorities
Living in East Timor
See the full country overview