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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,706 per month in Israel vs $1,796 in Italy, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,096 per month in Israel vs $2,739 in Italy, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,485 per month in Israel vs $3,682 in Italy, rent included.

The cost of living in Israel is about 51% higher than in Italy on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Israel and Italy are pricier than the global median – Israel by 96%, Italy by 30%.

The regional cost range is wider in Israel ($1,055$3,611) than in Italy ($1,152$2,626), so city choice matters more there.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Israel
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$26.28 ₪79.6
$21.24 €18.31
23.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$104 ₪314
$80.8 €69.7
28.23%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$20.29 ₪61.5
$11.41 €9.84
77.83%
Cappuccino
$5.10 ₪15.47
$2.08 €1.79
145.19%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.75 ₪11.35
$3.05 €2.63
22.95%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.11 ₪9.43
$1.38 €1.19
125.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$10.44 ₪31.62
$5.79 €4.99
80.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.94 ₪30.12
$5.75 €4.96
72.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Israel
Italy
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.45 ₪7.44
$1.70 €1.46
44.12%
White Bread (500g)
$3.40 ₪10.31
$2.41 €2.08
41.08%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.63 ₪10.99
$3.01 €2.59
20.60%
Eggs
$5.22 ₪15.82
$4.32 €3.72
20.83%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.08 ₪57.8
$17.93 €15.45
6.41%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.68 ₪44.49
$12.67 €10.92
15.86%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$26.23 ₪79.5
$20.57 €17.73
27.52%
Apples (1kg)
$4.61 ₪13.97
$2.62 €2.26
75.95%
Banana (1kg)
$3.36 ₪10.18
$2.15 €1.85
56.28%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.60 ₪7.87
$2.80 €2.41
-7.14%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.95 ₪8.93
$3.32 €2.87
-11.14%
Potato (1kg)
$1.90 ₪5.75
$2.10 €1.81
-9.52%
Onion (1kg)
$1.70 ₪5.16
$1.89 €1.63
-10.05%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.55 ₪7.72
$1.55 €1.33
64.52%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.02 ₪6.12
$0.56 €0.48
260.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.17 ₪42.94
$7.16 €6.17
97.91%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.42 ₪46.74
$7.35 €6.33
109.80%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.39 ₪10.26
$1.80 €1.55
88.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.05 ₪12.26
$2.41 €2.07
68.05%
🚌 Getting Around
Israel
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.62 ₪7.95
$1.93 €1.66
35.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$104 ₪316
$45.24 €39.00
130.39%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.29 ₪12.99
$5.74 €4.95
-25.26%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.27 ₪3.84
$1.70 €1.47
-25.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.00 ₪100
$35.25 €30.38
-6.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.59 ₪7.86
$2.04 €1.76
26.96%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$58.6K ₪177.6K
$37.5K €32.3K
56.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$59.0K ₪178.7K
$37.1K €31.9K
59.11%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Israel
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$309 ₪936
$231 €199
33.81%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.95 ₪36.21
$12.34 €10.64
-3.16%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.54 ₪132
$31.17 €26.87
39.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Israel
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$81.8 ₪248
$55.2 €47.62
48.06%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.62 ₪68.6
$24.91 €21.47
-9.19%
Cinema Ticket
$16.51 ₪50.0
$11.13 €9.59
48.34%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Israel
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,378 ₪4,174
$568 €490
142.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$30.9K ₪93.6K
$12.5K €10.8K
146.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Israel
Italy
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$110 ₪334
$93.0 €80.1
18.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$86.8 ₪263
$39.82 €34.32
118.06%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$148 ₪449
$104 €89.8
42.20%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$173 ₪524
$135 €116
28.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Israel
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,570 ₪4,756
$852 €734
84.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,218 ₪3,692
$645 €556
88.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,533 ₪7,675
$1,449 €1,249
74.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,938 ₪5,872
$1,084 €935
78.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$10.7K ₪32.4K
$3,813 €3,287
180.43%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$7,132 ₪21.6K
$2,357 €2,032
202.58%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Israel
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,784 ₪11.5K
$1,933 €1,666
95.78%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.09
3.57
42.58%

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

Last update for Israel: September 5, 2026

Last update for Italy: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,426 in Israel vs $755 in Italy. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,866 in Jerusalem and $1,247 in Rome.

Average salary: $3,526 in Israel vs $1,964 in Italy. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 89% higher in Israel.

Dining out costs 38% more in Israel.

Public transport is 70% more expensive in Israel.

Salaries are 80% higher in Israel, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Israel.

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 in 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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