Moving to Timor-Leste from Solomon Islands

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What to Expect

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

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

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Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2015

per 100,000 people per year

SB
3.7
TL
4.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SB
11.2
TL
12.0

Solomon Islands performs better than Timor-Leste across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

SB
$153
TL
$461
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2020

affects wait times and access to care

SB
1.9
TL
7.7

Timor-Leste generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Solomon Islands 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

SB
57.0
TL
61.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SB
0.4t
TL
0.5t

Solomon Islands performs better than Timor-Leste 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

SB
0.1
TL
0.0
Internet access The World Factbook, 2021

share of households with internet

SB
36.0%
TL
39.0%

Solomon Islands generally does better on infrastructure, though Timor-Leste leads in internet access.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

SB
1.6%
TL
1.5%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SB
$2,700
TL
$4,600

Timor-Leste generally does better on employment & economy, though Solomon Islands leads in poverty rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

SB
76.7 yrs
TL
69.9 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SB
20.0
TL
33.7

Solomon Islands 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 Solomon Islands 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.

Solomon Islands passport

Solomon Islands passport holder visiting Timor-Leste

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

Timor-Leste passport holder visiting Solomon Islands

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

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 Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste.

Is Timor-Leste safe for expats?

Solomon Islands performs better than Timor-Leste across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Timor-Leste is 4.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.7 in Solomon Islands.

How is healthcare in Timor-Leste compared to Solomon Islands?

Timor-Leste generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Solomon Islands leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 7.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Timor-Leste, compared to 1.9 in Solomon Islands. Timor-Leste scores 52 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Solomon Islands: 47).

What language do they speak in Timor-Leste?

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

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At a Glance

SB TL
Population 702,694 1,445,006
Currency Solomon Islands Dollar (SBD) United States Dollar ($)
Languages English Portuguese, Tetum
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +677 +670
Time zones 1 1