Cost of Living Comparison Between Beit Shemesh and Jerusalem Cost of Living Comparison Between Beit Shemesh and Jerusalem

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,946 per month in Beit Shemesh vs $2,532 in Jerusalem, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,085 per month in Beit Shemesh vs $3,797 in Jerusalem, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,224 per month in Beit Shemesh vs $5,061 in Jerusalem, rent included.

Beit Shemesh is about 23% cheaper than Jerusalem, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Beit Shemesh and Jerusalem sit above the global median – Beit Shemesh by 46%, Jerusalem by 90%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.49 ₪65.3

$22.32 ₪67.8

-3.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.7 ₪254

$84.4 ₪256

-0.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.72 ₪44.72

$15.44 ₪46.90

-4.66%

Cappuccino

$4.23 ₪12.83

$4.18 ₪12.71

1.20%

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

$2.96 ₪9.01

$2.73 ₪8.30

8.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 ₪7.40

$2.18 ₪6.63

11.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.66 ₪29.35

$8.98 ₪27.27

7.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.30 ₪25.20

$8.61 ₪26.17

-3.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 ₪6.02

$2.05 ₪6.24

-3.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 ₪7.69

$2.37 ₪7.19

6.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 ₪8.08

$2.84 ₪8.63

-6.34%

Eggs

$4.09 ₪12.41

$4.18 ₪12.70

-2.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.09 ₪51.9

$13.85 ₪42.08

23.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.08 ₪33.64

$11.21 ₪34.04

-1.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.23 ₪61.5

$17.63 ₪53.6

14.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.63 ₪11.02

$3.24 ₪9.84

12.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 ₪6.36

$1.96 ₪5.97

7.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 ₪5.82

$1.73 ₪5.27

10.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 ₪6.88

$2.48 ₪7.52

-8.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.62 ₪4.93

$1.69 ₪5.13

-4.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 ₪4.99

$1.56 ₪4.72

5.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 ₪4.78

$2.08 ₪6.33

-24.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ₪2.72

$1.43 ₪4.33

-37.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.45 ₪31.74

$9.63 ₪29.24

8.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ₪50.3

$15.20 ₪46.16

8.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₪6.65

$2.44 ₪7.40

-10.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₪8.47

$2.82 ₪8.57

-1.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.74 ₪5.29

$1.67 ₪5.06

4.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.12 ₪85.4

$67.3 ₪204

-58.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 ₪10.56

$3.49 ₪10.61

-0.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₪1.76

$0.90 ₪2.74

-35.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.65 ₪62.7

$28.05 ₪85.2

-26.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 ₪6.07

$2.03 ₪6.17

-1.48%

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

$46.2K ₪140.4K

$47.0K ₪142.8K

-1.64%

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

$45.6K ₪138.4K

$46.9K ₪142.4K

-2.81%

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

$211 ₪640

$230 ₪698

-8.29%

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

$12.01 ₪36.49

$12.65 ₪38.43

-5.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.11 ₪85.4

$29.19 ₪88.7

-3.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.5 ₪202

$87.0 ₪264

-23.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.36 ₪55.8

$30.74 ₪93.4

-40.27%

Cinema Ticket

$12.23 ₪37.16

$12.72 ₪38.65

-3.85%

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

$916 ₪2,782

$880 ₪2,674

4.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ₪50.4K

$21.7K ₪65.8K

-23.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 ₪226

$104 ₪316

-28.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.7 ₪178

$63.1 ₪192

-7.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.1 ₪298

$126 ₪382

-22.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ₪305

$117 ₪355

-14.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 ₪2,567

$1,580 ₪4,799

-46.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$705 ₪2,141

$1,163 ₪3,534

-39.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ₪4,536

$2,801 ₪8,509

-46.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,354 ₪4,113

$1,928 ₪5,855

-29.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K ₪31.7K

$20.1K ₪60.9K

-47.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,927 ₪24.1K

$8,924 ₪27.1K

-11.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,947 ₪12.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.75

-54.17%

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

Last update for Beit Shemesh: July 13, 2026

Last update for Jerusalem: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $845 in Beit Shemesh versus $1,580 in Jerusalem. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $84.0 in Beit Shemesh versus $84.0 in Jerusalem. Groceries tell a different story – $364 in Beit Shemesh vs $352 in Jerusalem – so Jerusalem wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Beit Shemesh vs Jerusalem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Jerusalem is pricier by about 30%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,919 per month in Beit Shemesh and $3,798 in Jerusalem. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Beit Shemesh, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Jerusalem – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $84.0 in Beit Shemesh and $84.0 in Jerusalem. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Beit Shemesh, where all-in costs run around $1,946, than in Jerusalem at $2,532. In Beit Shemesh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jerusalem it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Beit Shemesh – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Beit Shemesh. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Jerusalem makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.