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Money and Costs
The US Dollar is the official currency
in Timor-Leste.
Currency
The US Dollar is Timor-Leste’s official paper note currency. However, Timo-Leste does have her own national coins in denominations of One, Five, Twenty-Five and Fifty Cents.
ATMs
Available in Dili. Credit card facilities are available but still limited. An ATM machine is situated at the ANZ bank in the middle of town near the Government buildings at Av. Presidente Nicolau Lobato and at the Leader Store, Comoro.
Banks
The country has three banks (the Australian ANZ, the Portuguese CGD-BNU and the Indonesian Mandiri) as well as Western Union offices. There are 3 banks in Dili; all of them have ATM services available for Visa, Maestro & Cirrus.
Banco Nationale Ultramarine (BNU)
A Portuguese bank. For all financial services.
T: +670 3324 301
Australian ANZ
The bank with the friendly face.
No. 17-19, Rua Maria Marques P.O Box 264, Dili
T: +670 3324 800 | F: +670 3324 822
Email: etimor@anz.com
Bank Mandiri
Rua Presidente Nicolau Lobato No.12, Dili
T: +670 3317 777
Email: dilibranch@mail.timortelecom.tp
Western Union
Estrada Balide, Colmara
T: +670 3321 586 | F: +670 3321 584 | M: +670 3321 589
Average Meals Price-range
- LOW - US$1-3
- MID - US$3-15
- HIGH - US$15-30+
Average Lodging Price-range
- LOW - US$8-15
- MID - US$15-40
- HIGH - US$40-80
- DELUXE - US$80+++
Why are costs high in Timor-Leste?
Timor-Leste may be the world's youngest and one of the least developed nation, however cost of goods, especially in Dili, has never been really cheap as compared to her Southeast Asian neighbours due to the fact that most goods are imported either from Indonesia or Australia. This is especially true during the UN interregnum. Now that the UN and media activities in Timor have subsided substantially, costs have dropped although they are still considered high.
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