Moving to Timor-Leste from Brazil

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Brazil to Timor-Leste. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Living there in 2020
64 ↓ 3% vs 2015

people born in Brazil 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 Brazil and Timor-Leste stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

BR
20.6
TL
4.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BR
15.7
TL
12.0

Timor-Leste performs significantly better than Brazil across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

BR
$2,070
TL
$461
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

BR
21.4
TL
7.7

Brazil generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Timor-Leste leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

BR
23.0
TL
61.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BR
2.3t
TL
0.5t

Brazil generally does better on environment, though Timor-Leste leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BR
21.0
TL
0.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BR
1.5%
TL
28.3%

Brazil 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

BR
8.0%
TL
1.5%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BR
$18,600
TL
$4,600

Brazil 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

BR
75.9 yrs
TL
69.9 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BR
13.3
TL
33.7

Brazil performs better than Timor-Leste across all family life metrics.

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

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Brazil 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.

Brazil passport

Brazil passport holder visiting Timor-Leste

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

Timor-Leste passport holder visiting Brazil

Visa Required
Timor-Leste passport holders need a visa to enter Brazil.

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 Brazil and Timor-Leste.

Is Timor-Leste safe for expats?

Timor-Leste performs significantly better than Brazil across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Timor-Leste is 4.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 20.6 in Brazil.

How is healthcare in Timor-Leste compared to Brazil?

Brazil generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Timor-Leste leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 7.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Timor-Leste, compared to 21.4 in Brazil. Timor-Leste scores 52 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Brazil: 80).

What language do they speak in Timor-Leste?

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

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At a Glance

BR TL
Population 217,240,060 1,445,006
Currency Brazilian Real (R$) United States Dollar ($)
Languages Portuguese Portuguese, Tetum
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +55 +670
Time zones 4 1
Emergency number 190