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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,061 per month in Haifa vs $1,926 in Beit Shemesh, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,140 per month in Haifa vs $3,047 in Beit Shemesh, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,219 per month in Haifa vs $4,168 in Beit Shemesh, rent included.

Haifa costs about 7% more than Beit Shemesh, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Haifa and Beit Shemesh sit above the global median – Haifa by 54%, Beit Shemesh by 44%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.66 ₪61.7

$21.53 ₪61.3

0.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.0 ₪239

$85.6 ₪244

-1.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.55 ₪44.26

$14.53 ₪41.36

7.02%

Cappuccino

$4.18 ₪11.89

$4.17 ₪11.88

0.24%

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

$2.84 ₪8.10

$2.86 ₪8.14

-0.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 ₪6.81

$2.32 ₪6.61

3.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.53 ₪27.14

$9.65 ₪27.48

-1.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.49 ₪24.19

$8.58 ₪24.43

-1.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ₪5.98

$1.92 ₪5.46

9.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.60 ₪7.41

$2.56 ₪7.30

1.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.80 ₪7.97

$2.77 ₪7.88

1.08%

Eggs

$4.24 ₪12.07

$4.01 ₪11.43

5.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.69 ₪47.54

$16.71 ₪47.58

-0.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.49 ₪29.87

$11.07 ₪31.52

-5.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.31 ₪60.7

$19.83 ₪56.5

7.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 ₪9.18

$3.62 ₪10.30

-11.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 ₪6.37

$2.06 ₪5.87

8.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 ₪5.53

$1.89 ₪5.38

2.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 ₪6.18

$2.34 ₪6.67

-7.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ₪4.29

$1.62 ₪4.61

-6.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 ₪4.49

$1.63 ₪4.65

-3.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 ₪5.44

$1.62 ₪4.62

17.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₪4.91

$0.89 ₪2.52

93.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.77 ₪30.67

$10.56 ₪30.07

1.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.81 ₪47.87

$13.19 ₪37.55

27.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₪8.19

$2.18 ₪6.21

32.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ₪10.43

$2.67 ₪7.61

37.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ₪4.76

$1.71 ₪4.86

-2.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 ₪184

$28.29 ₪80.6

128.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.00 ₪19.94

$3.45 ₪9.82

102.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 ₪2.44

$0.59 ₪1.67

45.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.72 ₪93.2

$21.45 ₪61.1

52.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 ₪5.77

$2.00 ₪5.69

1.50%

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

$45.5K ₪129.6K

$46.8K ₪133.2K

-2.71%

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

$44.5K ₪126.8K

$45.2K ₪128.8K

-1.55%

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

$237 ₪675

$211 ₪600

12.49%

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

$9.66 ₪27.50

$11.90 ₪33.89

-18.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.89 ₪76.6

$27.64 ₪78.7

-2.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.7 ₪187

$66.1 ₪188

-0.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.97 ₪51.2

$18.34 ₪52.2

-2.02%

Cinema Ticket

$12.53 ₪35.66

$12.42 ₪35.38

0.89%

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

$1,062 ₪3,023

$930 ₪2,648

14.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,974 ₪11.3K

$17.0K ₪48.5K

-76.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.1 ₪251

$75.5 ₪215

16.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 ₪156

$59.4 ₪169

-7.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ₪323

$95.3 ₪271

19.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 ₪309

$104 ₪295

4.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$892 ₪2,539

$818 ₪2,330

8.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$744 ₪2,117

$707 ₪2,014

5.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,473 ₪4,195

$1,437 ₪4,091

2.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,241 ₪3,532

$1,349 ₪3,840

-8.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.1K ₪28.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,499 ₪18.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,652 ₪13.2K

$4,966 ₪14.1K

-6.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.35

2.75

94.55%

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

Last update for Haifa: June 2, 2026

Last update for Beit Shemesh: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $892 in Haifa versus $818 in Beit Shemesh. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 7% higher in Beit Shemesh, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $84.0 in Haifa versus $86.0 in Beit Shemesh. Groceries tell a different story – $381 in Haifa vs $354 in Beit Shemesh – so Beit Shemesh 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

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

Yes – Haifa is pricier by about 7%, 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 $3,092 per month in Haifa and $2,888 in Beit Shemesh. 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.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Haifa, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $84.0 in Haifa and $86.0 in Beit Shemesh. 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 $1,926, than in Haifa at $2,061. In Beit Shemesh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Haifa 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, Haifa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.