Cost of Living Comparison Between Haifa and Ashkelon Cost of Living Comparison Between Haifa and Ashkelon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,061 in Haifa versus $2,039 in Ashkelon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,140 in Haifa versus $3,079 in Ashkelon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,219 in Haifa versus $4,118 in Ashkelon.

Living in Haifa is roughly 1% more expensive than Ashkelon, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Haifa 54% above, Ashkelon 52% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.66 ₪62.2

$22.48 ₪64.5

-3.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.0 ₪241

$97.8 ₪281

-14.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.55 ₪44.63

$16.68 ₪47.89

-6.77%

Cappuccino

$4.18 ₪11.99

$3.76 ₪10.80

11.17%

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

$2.84 ₪8.17

$2.95 ₪8.46

-3.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 ₪6.86

$2.08 ₪5.97

14.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.53 ₪27.37

$9.05 ₪25.98

5.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.49 ₪24.39

$8.52 ₪24.45

-0.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ₪6.03

$2.00 ₪5.75

5.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.60 ₪7.47

$2.51 ₪7.21

3.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.80 ₪8.04

$2.91 ₪8.36

-3.78%

Eggs

$4.24 ₪12.17

$4.23 ₪12.15

0.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.69 ₪47.93

$15.83 ₪45.43

5.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.49 ₪30.11

$11.15 ₪32.00

-5.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.31 ₪61.2

$18.64 ₪53.5

14.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 ₪9.26

$3.88 ₪11.13

-17.01%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 ₪6.42

$2.33 ₪6.69

-3.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 ₪5.58

$1.87 ₪5.38

3.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 ₪6.23

$2.26 ₪6.48

-3.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ₪4.33

$1.78 ₪5.12

-15.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 ₪4.53

$1.85 ₪5.32

-14.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 ₪5.49

$1.92 ₪5.51

-0.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₪4.95

$1.35 ₪3.88

27.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.77 ₪30.92

$11.29 ₪32.41

-4.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.81 ₪48.27

$15.34 ₪44.05

9.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₪8.26

$2.32 ₪6.67

24.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ₪10.52

$2.97 ₪8.53

23.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ₪4.80

$2.23 ₪6.41

-25.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 ₪186

$28.42 ₪81.6

127.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.00 ₪20.11

$5.79 ₪16.63

20.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 ₪2.46

$1.15 ₪3.31

-25.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.72 ₪93.9

$33.50 ₪96.2

-2.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 ₪5.81

$1.99 ₪5.72

2.01%

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

$45.5K ₪130.7K

$44.6K ₪127.9K

2.16%

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

$44.5K ₪127.9K

$45.0K ₪129.1K

-0.95%

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

$237 ₪681

$259 ₪743

-8.45%

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

$9.66 ₪27.73

$10.97 ₪31.50

-11.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.89 ₪77.2

$32.35 ₪92.9

-16.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.7 ₪189

$64.9 ₪186

1.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.97 ₪51.6

$21.46 ₪61.6

-16.26%

Cinema Ticket

$12.53 ₪35.96

$12.50 ₪35.89

0.24%

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

$1,062 ₪3,048

$834 ₪2,395

27.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,974 ₪11.4K

$25.0K ₪71.6K

-84.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.1 ₪253

$109 ₪314

-19.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 ₪158

$53.9 ₪155

1.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ₪326

$124 ₪357

-8.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 ₪312

$148 ₪424

-26.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$892 ₪2,560

$876 ₪2,514

1.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$744 ₪2,135

$704 ₪2,022

5.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,473 ₪4,229

$1,250 ₪3,589

17.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,241 ₪3,562

$950 ₪2,729

30.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.1K ₪29.1K

$6,210 ₪17.8K

63.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,499 ₪18.7K

$5,580 ₪16.0K

16.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,652 ₪13.4K

$4,169 ₪12.0K

11.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.35

4.67

14.56%

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

Last update for Haifa: June 2, 2026

Last update for Ashkelon: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $892 in Haifa and $876 in Ashkelon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Haifa pays 12% 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: $84.0 in Haifa vs $98.0 in Ashkelon. Groceries flip the comparison at $381 vs $366, with Ashkelon 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

Haifa vs Ashkelon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ashkelon wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Haifa. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ashkelon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Haifa pays 12% more on average, 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: $892 in Haifa versus $876 in Ashkelon. 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 $98.0 versus $84.0 in Haifa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,061 per month in Haifa versus $2,039 in Ashkelon – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,039 in Ashkelon versus $2,061 in Haifa, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ashkelon but tight or insufficient in Haifa. The gap between the two cities makes Ashkelon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ashkelon delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,039 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ashkelon hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Haifa and Ashkelon 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 1% less than in Haifa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.