Budget/Backpacker Travel Guide: East Timor

Accommodation

$10-25 per night

Basic guesthouses, budget hotels, and simple pousadas with shared bathrooms or basic private rooms

Food & Dining

$8-20 per day

Local warungs, street food, traditional markets, and simple restaurants serving Timorese and Indonesian dishes

Transportation

$3-12 per day

Local mikrolets (minibuses), shared taxis, walking, and occasional motorbike taxis for short distances

Activities

$5-20 per day

Free beach access, hiking trails, local markets, occasional museum visits, and community-based tourism

Eat at local warungs and markets instead of tourist restaurants for typically 60-80% savings on meals

Use mikrolets and shared transport instead of private taxis to save 70-85% on transportation costs

Stay in local guesthouses outside Dili's main tourist areas for generally 40-60% lower accommodation rates

Book direct with accommodation providers rather than through international booking sites to avoid 10-20% markup fees

Travel during shoulder season months for typically 20-40% lower prices on hotels and tours

Join group tours instead of private ones to reduce activity costs by usually 50-70%

Shop at local markets for snacks and water instead of hotel shops to save typically 100-300% on basic items

Only eating at hotel restaurants and tourist areas, which typically costs 150-250% more than local alternatives

Taking private taxis for all transport instead of using local mikrolets, increasing daily transport costs by 300-500%

Not carrying small bills for local transport and markets, often resulting in overpaying by 20-50% due to change issues

Booking accommodation only in central Dili without considering nearby areas that offer similar quality for 30-50% less