Cost of Living Comparison Between Cary, NC and Tel Aviv-Yafo Cost of Living Comparison Between Cary, NC and Tel Aviv-Yafo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,038 in Cary, NC versus $2,668 in Tel Aviv-Yafo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,477 in Cary, NC versus $4,195 in Tel Aviv-Yafo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,916 in Cary, NC versus $5,723 in Tel Aviv-Yafo.

Living in Cary, NC is roughly 14% more expensive than in Tel Aviv-Yafo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cary, NC 127% above, Tel Aviv-Yafo 100% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.06 $18.06

$22.26 ₪67.6

-18.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.5 $98.5

$114 ₪346

-13.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.56 $10.56

$16.79 ₪51.0

-37.11%

Cappuccino

$5.22 $5.22

$4.20 ₪12.78

24.29%

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

$2.08 $2.08

$3.10 ₪9.41

-32.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.60 ₪7.91

-28.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.90 $4.90

$8.99 ₪27.31

-45.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.74 $6.74

$8.64 ₪26.26

-21.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.99 ₪6.04

-41.71%

White Bread (500g)

$5.61 $5.61

$3.02 ₪9.19

85.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.03 $6.03

$3.22 ₪9.79

87.27%

Eggs

$4.53 $4.53

$4.06 ₪12.34

11.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.88 $20.88

$16.13 ₪49.00

29.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.52 $12.52

$12.56 ₪38.16

-0.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.94 $17.94

$21.33 ₪64.8

-15.89%

Apples (1kg)

$5.83 $5.83

$4.24 ₪12.88

37.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.61 ₪7.94

-32.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$2.21 ₪6.71

93.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.78 $6.78

$3.41 ₪10.36

98.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.85 ₪5.62

37.84%

Onion (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$2.02 ₪6.15

69.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.16 ₪6.58

35.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.49 ₪4.52

32.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.36 $9.36

$11.41 ₪34.68

-17.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.93 $9.93

$16.57 ₪50.4

-40.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$3.09 ₪9.38

-25.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 $4.95

$3.45 ₪10.49

43.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.90 $1.90

$2.28 ₪6.92

-16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.4 $59.4

$73.0 ₪222

-18.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 $3.57

$3.83 ₪11.63

-6.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$0.54 ₪1.65

205.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.23 $29.23

$33.49 ₪102

-12.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 $0.79

$2.12 ₪6.45

-62.74%

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

$29.8K $29.8K

$48.4K ₪147.1K

-38.49%

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

$28.6K $28.6K

$44.7K ₪136.0K

-36.10%

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

$171 $171

$264 ₪803

-35.49%

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

$49.09 $49.09

$10.93 ₪33.22

349.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.6 $62.6

$31.25 ₪95.0

100.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.6 $75.6

$79.0 ₪240

-4.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 ₪59.1

Cinema Ticket

$13.72 $13.72

$13.42 ₪40.78

2.24%

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

$1,484 $1,484

$1,295 ₪3,935

14.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K $23.4K

$24.8K ₪75.3K

-5.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.87 $48.87

$107 ₪326

-54.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.38 $32.38

$61.7 ₪188

-47.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$133 ₪404

-4.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 $137

$151 ₪459

-9.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,770 $1,770

$1,643 ₪4,992

7.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,587 $1,587

$1,211 ₪3,679

31.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,657 $2,657

$3,075 ₪9,345

-13.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,748 $2,748

$2,228 ₪6,771

23.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,810 $2,810

$20.7K ₪62.8K

-86.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,678 $2,678

$13.1K ₪39.9K

-79.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,861 $5,861

$4,279 ₪13.0K

36.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.31

5.46

15.57%

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

Last update for Cary, NC: July 14, 2026

Last update for Tel Aviv-Yafo: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,770 in Cary, NC and $1,643 in Tel Aviv-Yafo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cary, NC pays 37% 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: $99.0 in Cary, NC vs $114 in Tel Aviv-Yafo. Groceries flip the comparison at $471 vs $409, with Tel Aviv-Yafo cheaper for home cooking.

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

Cary, NC vs Tel Aviv-Yafo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tel Aviv-Yafo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 37% higher in Cary, NC, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,770 in Cary, NC versus $1,643 in Tel Aviv-Yafo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,484 in Cary, NC versus $1,295 in Tel Aviv-Yafo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Cary, NC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Tel Aviv-Yafo is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Tel Aviv-Yafo is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cary, NC, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cary, NC and Tel Aviv-Yafo 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 Tel Aviv-Yafo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Cary, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.