Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ashkelon and Jerusalem

For one person, living is cheaper in Ashkelon: $2,394 a month against $2,891 in Jerusalem, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

117

Cost of Living Index in Ashkelon
Learn more

Ashkelon Living Index
142

Cost of Living Index in Jerusalem
Learn more

Jerusalem Living Index

Jump to prices

Ashkelon

🇮🇱 Israel

$2,394

/mo nomad

Jerusalem

🇮🇱 Israel

$2,891

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ashkelon and in Jerusalem

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ashkelon and in Jerusalem actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,394 in Ashkelon versus $2,891 in Jerusalem.

Ashkelon $2,394
Jerusalem $2,891

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,551 in Ashkelon versus $4,203 in Jerusalem.

Ashkelon $3,551
Jerusalem $4,203

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,708 in Ashkelon versus $5,516 in Jerusalem.

Ashkelon $4,708
Jerusalem $5,516

Living in Ashkelon costs roughly 17% less than in Jerusalem, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ashkelon 77% above, Jerusalem 114% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.07 ₪71.8

$22.87 ₪71.2

0.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.0 ₪252

$96.2 ₪299

-15.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.60 ₪54.8

$19.77 ₪61.5

-10.98%

Cappuccino

$4.58 ₪14.25

$4.77 ₪14.84

-3.98%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 ₪10.15

$3.50 ₪10.87

-6.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ₪8.71

$2.79 ₪8.69

0.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.10 ₪37.63

$8.08 ₪25.13

49.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.69 ₪23.93

$10.06 ₪31.29

-23.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 ₪7.32

$2.34 ₪7.27

0.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 ₪8.34

$3.39 ₪10.53

-20.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.01 ₪9.35

$3.60 ₪11.21

-16.39%

Eggs

$4.57 ₪14.21

$4.83 ₪15.03

-5.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.56 ₪67.1

$16.93 ₪52.7

27.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.94 ₪40.26

$14.77 ₪45.96

-12.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.38 ₪79.0

$34.27 ₪107

-25.94%

Apples (1kg)

$4.13 ₪12.86

$4.31 ₪13.41

-4.18%

Banana (1kg)

$3.18 ₪9.91

$3.25 ₪10.11

-2.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ₪7.05

$2.66 ₪8.27

-14.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.22 ₪10.03

$2.47 ₪7.69

30.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ₪4.99

$1.91 ₪5.93

-16.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ₪6.20

$1.70 ₪5.29

17.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.66 ₪8.27

$2.06 ₪6.41

29.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ₪2.93

$1.84 ₪5.71

-48.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.77 ₪42.84

$13.69 ₪42.60

0.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.65 ₪36.23

$14.93 ₪46.45

-21.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 ₪8.02

$4.55 ₪14.15

-43.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ₪6.12

$4.17 ₪12.99

-52.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 ₪7.88

$2.58 ₪8.01

-1.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.33 ₪138

$70.4 ₪219

-37.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$11.17 ₪34.76

$3.97 ₪12.36

181.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 ₪5.20

$1.24 ₪3.86

34.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.23 ₪122

$24.92 ₪77.5

57.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.64 ₪8.20

$2.67 ₪8.31

-1.12%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$57.8K ₪179.8K

$57.0K ₪177.4K

1.34%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$56.8K ₪176.7K

$59.3K ₪184.6K

-4.26%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$214 ₪667

$286 ₪891

-25.21%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$11.73 ₪36.49

$12.61 ₪39.24

-6.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.41 ₪129

$41.51 ₪129

-0.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.93 ₪143

$74.0 ₪230

-37.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.25 ₪100

$17.26 ₪53.7

86.85%

Cinema Ticket

$16.56 ₪51.5

$14.38 ₪44.74

15.16%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,220 ₪3,797

$1,428 ₪4,444

-14.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.3K ₪91.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 ₪334

$117 ₪365

-8.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.6 ₪235

$76.9 ₪239

-1.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ₪352

$153 ₪475

-25.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 ₪453

$159 ₪496

-8.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 ₪3,560

$1,852 ₪5,761

-38.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$961 ₪2,989

$1,261 ₪3,922

-23.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,798 ₪5,595

$3,781 ₪11.8K

-52.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,470 ₪4,575

$1,880 ₪5,848

-21.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,741 ₪17.9K

$19.7K ₪61.1K

-70.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,602 ₪17.4K

$9,096 ₪28.3K

-38.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,977 ₪9,263

$3,671 ₪11.4K

-18.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.98

4.99

-0.20%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ashkelon: October 11, 2026

Last update for Jerusalem: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ashkelon

$961 40.1%

Jerusalem

$1.3K 43.6% 31.2% $300

Groceries & Markets

Ashkelon

$422 17.6%

Jerusalem

$483 16.7% 14.4% $61

Eating Out

Ashkelon

$392 16.4%

Jerusalem

$385 13.3% 1.9% $7.3

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ashkelon

$267 11.2%

Jerusalem

$341 11.8% 27.4% $73

Clothing & Footwear

Ashkelon

$199 8.3%

Jerusalem

$228 7.9% 14.7% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Ashkelon

$79 3.3%

Jerusalem

$103 3.6% 30% $24

Getting Around

Ashkelon

$74 3.1%

Jerusalem

$91 3.1% 22.8% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,144 in Ashkelon and $1,852 in Jerusalem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jerusalem pays 23% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $81.0 in Ashkelon vs $96.0 in Jerusalem for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $422 vs $483 per month, with Ashkelon cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇱 Ashkelon

🇮🇱 Jerusalem

🕒 Local time

06:24 6:24 AM

Same time as Ashkelon

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

152,439

882,652 Capital

💱 Currency

Israeli New Shekel ILS ₪

📈 Exchange rate

1 ILS = 0.321 USD

1 ILS = 0.286 EUR

1 ILS = 0.321 USD

1 ILS = 0.286 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Ashkelon Jerusalem 63 km

From you

Ashkelon
Jerusalem

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ashkelon vs Jerusalem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ashkelon wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Jerusalem. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ashkelon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 23% lower in Jerusalem. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,144 in Ashkelon versus $1,852 in Jerusalem. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ashkelon – a meal for two runs $81.0 versus $96.0 in Jerusalem. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,394 per month in Ashkelon versus $2,891 in Jerusalem – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,394 in Ashkelon versus $2,891 in Jerusalem, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ashkelon but tight or insufficient in Jerusalem. The gap between the two cities makes Ashkelon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ashkelon and Jerusalem are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ashkelon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Jerusalem. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.