Moving to Timor-Leste from Bangladesh

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Bangladesh to Timor-Leste — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Bangladesh to Timor-Leste, and you’d need to navigate life in Portuguese and Tetum.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Bangladesh to Timor-Leste, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
67 ↓ 3% vs 2015

people born in Bangladesh live in Timor-Leste · UN DESA

Who's moving to Timor-Leste?

Top countries of origin for Timor-Leste's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Bangladesh and Timor-Leste stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2018

per 100,000 people per year

BD
2.3
TL
4.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BD
18.6
TL
12.0

Bangladesh generally does better on safety, though Timor-Leste leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

BD
$198
TL
$461
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

BD
6.7
TL
7.7

Bangladesh generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Timor-Leste leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

BD
66.0
TL
61.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BD
0.7t
TL
0.5t

Timor-Leste performs significantly better than Bangladesh across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BD
7.1
TL
0.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BD
5.7%
TL
28.3%

Bangladesh performs better than Timor-Leste across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

BD
5.1%
TL
1.5%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BD
$8,200
TL
$4,600

Bangladesh generally does better on employment & economy, though Timor-Leste leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

BD
74.7 yrs
TL
69.9 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BD
30.4
TL
33.7

Bangladesh generally does better on family life, though Timor-Leste leads in education spending.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Bangladesh and Timor-Leste. To live, work, or study long-term in Timor-Leste, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Timor-Leste's immigration authority.

Bangladesh passport

Bangladesh passport holder visiting Timor-Leste

Visa on Arrival
Bangladesh passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Timor-Leste.
Timor-Leste passport

Timor-Leste passport holder visiting Bangladesh

Visa on Arrival
Timor-Leste passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Bangladesh.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Timor-Leste?

With 0.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Timor-Leste can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Bangladesh and Timor-Leste.

Is Timor-Leste safe for expats?

Bangladesh generally does better on safety, though Timor-Leste leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Timor-Leste is 4.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.3 in Bangladesh.

How is healthcare in Timor-Leste compared to Bangladesh?

Bangladesh generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Timor-Leste leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 7.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Timor-Leste, compared to 6.7 in Bangladesh. Timor-Leste scores 52 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Bangladesh: 52).

What language do they speak in Timor-Leste?

The official languages in Timor-Leste are Portuguese and Tetum. In Bangladesh, the official language is Bengali.

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At a Glance

BD TL
Population 165,650,475 1,445,006
Currency Bangladeshi Taka (BDT) United States Dollar ($)
Languages Bengali Portuguese, Tetum
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +880 +670
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999