Moving to Spain from Timor-Leste

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Timor-Leste to Spain, and you’d need to navigate life in Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2019
1 ↓ 67% vs 2018

people moved from Timor-Leste to Spain · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Spain?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

TL
4.1
ES
0.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

TL
12.0
ES
3.5

Spain performs significantly 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

TL
$461
ES
$4,935
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

TL
7.7
ES
44.8

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

TL
61.0
ES
10.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

TL
0.5t
ES
4.5t

Timor-Leste generally does better on environment, though Spain leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

TL
0.0
ES
36.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

TL
28.3%
ES
43.2%

Spain generally does better on infrastructure, though Timor-Leste leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

TL
1.5%
ES
12.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

TL
$4,600
ES
$46,400

Spain 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

TL
69.9 yrs
ES
82.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

TL
33.7
ES
2.5

Spain performs significantly 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 Timor-Leste and Spain. To live, work, or study long-term in Spain, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Spain's immigration authority.

Timor-Leste passport

Timor-Leste passport holder visiting Spain

Visa Free
Timor-Leste passport holders can enter Spain without a visa.
Spain passport

Spain passport holder visiting Timor-Leste

Visa Free
Spain passport holders can enter Timor-Leste without a visa.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Spain?

With 36.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Spain can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Timor-Leste and Spain.

Is Spain safe for expats?

Spain performs significantly better than Timor-Leste across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Spain is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.1 in Timor-Leste.

How is healthcare in Spain compared to Timor-Leste?

Timor-Leste generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Spain leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 44.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Spain, compared to 7.7 in Timor-Leste. Spain scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Timor-Leste: 52).

What language do they speak in Spain?

The official languages in Spain are Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish. In Timor-Leste, the official languages are Portuguese and Tetum.

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At a Glance

TL ES
Population 1,445,006 47,163,418
Currency United States Dollar ($) Euro (€)
Languages Portuguese, Tetum Basque, Catalan, Galician, Spanish
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +670 +34
Time zones 1 2
Emergency number 112