Cost of Living Comparison Between Israel and Italy Cost of Living Comparison Between Israel and Italy

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,248 per month in Israel vs $1,717 in Italy, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,330 per month in Israel vs $2,624 in Italy, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,412 per month in Israel vs $3,530 in Italy, rent included.

Israel costs about 31% more than Italy on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Israel and Italy are pricier than the global median – Israel by 68%, Italy by 28%.

Italy has a wider regional cost range ($1,170$2,508) than Israel ($1,813$2,739), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Italy.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Israel
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.37 ₪60.9
$17.44 €15.00
22.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$83.2 ₪237
$79.5 €68.4
4.66%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.88 ₪45.21
$11.76 €10.11
35.03%
Cappuccino
$4.13 ₪11.76
$2.00 €1.72
106.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.94 ₪8.37
$3.00 €2.58
-2.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.35 ₪6.70
$1.35 €1.16
74.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.75 ₪24.91
$5.94 €5.11
47.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.43 ₪24.00
$5.36 €4.61
57.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Israel
Italy
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.94 ₪5.51
$1.64 €1.41
18.29%
White Bread (500g)
$2.53 ₪7.22
$2.41 €2.07
4.98%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.91 ₪8.28
$2.99 €2.58
-2.68%
Eggs
$4.19 ₪11.93
$3.96 €3.41
5.81%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.46 ₪44.01
$16.84 €14.49
-8.19%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.95 ₪31.18
$12.43 €10.69
-11.91%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.53 ₪55.6
$20.29 €17.46
-3.75%
Apples (1kg)
$3.50 ₪9.98
$2.47 €2.13
41.70%
Banana (1kg)
$2.29 ₪6.52
$2.15 €1.85
6.51%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.93 ₪5.50
$2.65 €2.28
-27.17%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.27 ₪6.45
$3.40 €2.92
-33.24%
Potato (1kg)
$1.58 ₪4.50
$1.92 €1.65
-17.71%
Onion (1kg)
$1.62 ₪4.60
$1.81 €1.56
-10.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.98 ₪5.64
$1.55 €1.33
27.74%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.44 ₪4.09
$0.54 €0.46
166.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.65 ₪30.31
$6.79 €5.84
56.85%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.54 ₪47.10
$7.18 €6.18
130.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.65 ₪7.55
$1.80 €1.55
47.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.33 ₪9.49
$2.42 €2.08
37.60%
🚌 Getting Around
Israel
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.74 ₪4.95
$2.00 €1.72
-13.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$67.3 ₪191
$42.35 €36.43
58.80%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.78 ₪13.60
$5.94 €5.11
-19.53%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.87 ₪2.49
$1.51 €1.30
-42.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$31.43 ₪89.5
$34.04 €29.28
-7.67%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.99 ₪5.67
$2.05 €1.76
-2.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$45.6K ₪129.8K
$32.8K €28.2K
38.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$43.7K ₪124.4K
$33.7K €29.0K
29.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Israel
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$245 ₪697
$225 €194
8.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.32 ₪32.22
$13.25 €11.40
-14.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.35 ₪83.6
$30.95 €26.62
-5.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Israel
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.6 ₪192
$55.7 €47.95
21.30%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.35 ₪57.9
$25.15 €21.63
-19.09%
Cinema Ticket
$12.54 ₪35.71
$10.25 €8.82
22.34%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Israel
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,067 ₪3,039
$576 €495
85.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.4K ₪38.2K
$10.5K €8,998
28.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Israel
Italy
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$92.2 ₪262
$91.8 €79.0
0.37%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.5 ₪166
$40.72 €35.03
43.59%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$120 ₪341
$98.0 €84.3
22.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$129 ₪368
$131 €112
-1.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Israel
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,226 ₪3,492
$860 €740
42.64%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$979 ₪2,786
$667 €573
46.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,835 ₪5,225
$1,475 €1,269
24.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,600 ₪4,557
$1,087 €935
47.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$11.4K ₪32.6K
$3,850 €3,312
197.16%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$7,559 ₪21.5K
$2,359 €2,029
220.51%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Israel
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,142 ₪11.8K
$1,933 €1,663
114.24%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.95
4.41
12.24%

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

Last update for Israel: June 1, 2026

Last update for Italy: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,056 in Israel vs $743 in Italy. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,551 in Jerusalem and $1,325 in Rome.

Average salary: $4,095 in Israel vs $1,949 in Italy. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 42% higher in Israel.

Dining out costs 12% more in Israel.

Public transport is 41% more expensive in Israel.

Salaries are 110% higher in Israel, giving Israel stronger purchasing power.

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
Israel vs Italy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is cheaper: Israel or Italy?
Italy is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 24% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Is rent more expensive in Israel or Italy?
Housing costs more in Israel, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Israel consistently has higher rents.
How do daily expenses compare in Israel vs Italy?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Italy, contributing to the overall 24% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Can you live in both Israel and Italy on $2,500 per month?
$2,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Italy, but in Israel it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Which country is better for expats: Israel or Italy?
Italy is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

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