Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Eilat and Haifa

For one person, living is cheaper in Haifa: $2,457 a month against $2,978 in Eilat, rent and utilities included – about $6,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Eilat
🇮🇱 Israel
$2,978
/mo nomad
Haifa
🇮🇱 Israel
$2,457
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Eilat and in Haifa

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,978 in Eilat versus $2,457 in Haifa.

  • Eilat $2,978
  • Haifa $2,457

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,437 in Eilat versus $3,680 in Haifa.

  • Eilat $4,437
  • Haifa $3,680

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,895 in Eilat versus $4,904 in Haifa.

  • Eilat $5,895
  • Haifa $4,904

Living in Eilat is roughly 21% more expensive than in Haifa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Eilat 121% above, Haifa 82% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Eilat
Haifa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.88 ₪80.5
$25.88 ₪80.5
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$132 ₪409
$106 ₪330
23.89%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$20.47 ₪63.7
$19.58 ₪60.9
4.55%
Cappuccino
$5.55 ₪17.25
$4.56 ₪14.20
21.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.04 ₪12.55
$3.61 ₪11.24
11.91%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18 ₪9.89
$3.19 ₪9.93
-0.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$11.28 ₪35.09
$10.64 ₪33.11
6.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$10.79 ₪33.56
$10.64 ₪33.10
1.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Eilat
Haifa
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.53 ₪7.86
$2.56 ₪7.98
-1.17%
White Bread (500g)
$4.42 ₪13.75
$3.76 ₪11.69
17.55%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.83 ₪11.91
$3.78 ₪11.77
1.32%
Eggs
$4.17 ₪12.96
$5.01 ₪15.58
-16.77%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$21.94 ₪68.3
$17.62 ₪54.8
24.52%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$15.98 ₪49.72
$12.67 ₪39.41
26.12%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$25.51 ₪79.4
$23.83 ₪74.1
7.05%
Apples (1kg)
$3.53 ₪10.99
$4.34 ₪13.51
-18.66%
Banana (1kg)
$2.00 ₪6.21
$2.98 ₪9.26
-32.89%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.59 ₪4.96
$2.33 ₪7.24
-31.76%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.91 ₪5.95
$2.60 ₪8.09
-26.54%
Potato (1kg)
$1.60 ₪4.97
$2.08 ₪6.46
-23.08%
Onion (1kg)
$1.61 ₪5.00
$1.75 ₪5.44
-8.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.71 ₪8.45
$2.43 ₪7.57
11.52%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.64 ₪8.22
$2.70 ₪8.40
-2.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.46 ₪44.99
$13.21 ₪41.09
9.46%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.29 ₪35.13
$15.35 ₪47.77
-26.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.27 ₪7.05
$3.23 ₪10.03
-29.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.33 ₪4.13
$4.95 ₪15.41
-73.13%
🚌 Getting Around
Eilat
Haifa
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.32 ₪7.22
$2.67 ₪8.29
-13.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$85.8 ₪267
$101 ₪315
-15.12%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.40 ₪13.68
$4.19 ₪13.04
5.01%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.10 ₪3.42
$1.26 ₪3.92
-12.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$19.62 ₪61.0
$36.97 ₪115
-46.93%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.60 ₪8.10
$2.56 ₪7.96
1.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$56.1K ₪174.6K
$57.8K ₪179.9K
-2.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$56.7K ₪176.4K
$57.2K ₪178.1K
-0.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Eilat
Haifa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$438 ₪1,363
$264 ₪822
65.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.28 ₪35.10
$11.58 ₪36.02
-2.59%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.45 ₪110
$35.35 ₪110
0.28%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Eilat
Haifa
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$82.6 ₪257
$83.9 ₪261
-1.56%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$25.08 ₪78.0
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.55 ₪48.38
$15.78 ₪49.09
-1.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Eilat
Haifa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,677 ₪5,216
$1,140 ₪3,548
47.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$31.3K ₪97.5K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Eilat
Haifa
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$124 ₪387
$114 ₪355
8.91%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$85.4 ₪266
$71.0 ₪221
20.26%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 ₪352
$135 ₪421
-16.51%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$193 ₪601
$154 ₪478
25.85%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Eilat
Haifa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,490 ₪4,634
$1,057 ₪3,288
40.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,144 ₪3,560
$816 ₪2,538
40.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,317 ₪7,208
$1,640 ₪5,104
41.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,850 ₪5,755
$1,183 ₪3,681
56.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$10.6K ₪32.9K
$9,291 ₪28.9K
13.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$9,075 ₪28.2K
$6,147 ₪19.1K
47.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Eilat
Haifa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,804 ₪8,725
$4,372 ₪13.6K
-35.86%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.03
5.04
-0.20%

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

Last update for Eilat: October 10, 2026

Last update for Haifa: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Eilat
$1.1K
Haifa
$816 28.7% $329
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Eilat
$485
Haifa
$311 35.8% $174
Groceries & Markets
Eilat
$456
Haifa
$457 0% $0.1
Eating Out
Eilat
$442
Haifa
$422 4.4% $20
Clothing & Footwear
Eilat
$232
Haifa
$213 8.1% $19
Sport & Entertainment
Eilat
$114
Haifa
$115 1.6% $1.8
Getting Around
Eilat
$105
Haifa
$122 16.4% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,490 in Eilat and $1,057 in Haifa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Haifa pays 56% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $132 in Eilat vs $106 in Haifa. Groceries flip the comparison at $456 vs $457, with Eilat cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇮🇱 Eilat
🇮🇱 Haifa
🕒 Local time
11:03 11:03 AM
11:03 11:03 AM
Same time as Eilat
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
66,618
279,591
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to ILS – Israeli New Shekel Converter

Israeli New Shekel exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3.11 ILS (1 ILS = 0.321 USD). 1 EUR = 3.5 ILS (1 ILS = 0.286 EUR).

On the map
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  • Eilat Haifa 360 km
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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
Eilat vs Haifa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Eilat and in Haifa?
Eilat and Haifa differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($2,978 vs $2,457 including rent). Haifa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 56% lower in Haifa. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Eilat and in Haifa?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,490 in Eilat versus $1,057 in Haifa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Eilat and in Haifa?
A monthly transit pass in Haifa runs roughly 18% less than in Eilat. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Eilat and Haifa?
Childcare runs $1,677 in Eilat versus $1,140 in Haifa. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $2,500 per month?
At $2,457 in Haifa versus $2,978 in Eilat, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Haifa but tight or insufficient in Eilat. The gap between the two cities makes Haifa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Eilat and Haifa?
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.
Is Eilat or Haifa safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Eilat and Haifa are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Eilat or Haifa?
Expats usually find Haifa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Eilat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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