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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,532 per month in Jerusalem vs $1,946 in Beit Shemesh, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,797 per month in Jerusalem vs $3,085 in Beit Shemesh, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,061 per month in Jerusalem vs $4,224 in Beit Shemesh, rent included.

Jerusalem costs about 30% more than Beit Shemesh, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Jerusalem and Beit Shemesh sit above the global median – Jerusalem by 90%, Beit Shemesh by 46%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.32 ₪68.1

$21.49 ₪65.6

3.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.4 ₪258

$83.7 ₪256

0.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.44 ₪47.13

$14.72 ₪44.95

4.89%

Cappuccino

$4.18 ₪12.77

$4.23 ₪12.90

-1.18%

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

$2.73 ₪8.34

$2.96 ₪9.05

-7.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 ₪6.66

$2.43 ₪7.43

-10.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.98 ₪27.40

$9.66 ₪29.50

-7.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.61 ₪26.30

$8.30 ₪25.33

3.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ₪6.27

$1.98 ₪6.05

3.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 ₪7.23

$2.53 ₪7.73

-6.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.84 ₪8.68

$2.66 ₪8.13

6.77%

Eggs

$4.18 ₪12.77

$4.09 ₪12.48

2.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.85 ₪42.30

$17.09 ₪52.2

-18.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.21 ₪34.22

$11.08 ₪33.81

1.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.63 ₪53.8

$20.23 ₪61.8

-12.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ₪9.89

$3.63 ₪11.07

-10.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 ₪6.00

$2.10 ₪6.40

-6.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 ₪5.30

$1.92 ₪5.85

-9.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.48 ₪7.56

$2.26 ₪6.91

9.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 ₪5.16

$1.62 ₪4.96

4.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 ₪4.75

$1.64 ₪5.02

-4.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 ₪6.36

$1.57 ₪4.81

32.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 ₪4.35

$0.90 ₪2.74

58.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.63 ₪29.39

$10.45 ₪31.91

-7.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.20 ₪46.39

$16.56 ₪50.5

-8.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 ₪7.44

$2.19 ₪6.68

11.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ₪8.61

$2.79 ₪8.52

1.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ₪5.09

$1.74 ₪5.31

-4.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.3 ₪205

$28.12 ₪85.8

139.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ₪10.67

$3.48 ₪10.61

0.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 ₪2.75

$0.58 ₪1.77

55.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.05 ₪85.6

$20.65 ₪63.1

35.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 ₪6.20

$2.00 ₪6.10

1.50%

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

$47.0K ₪143.5K

$46.2K ₪141.1K

1.66%

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

$46.9K ₪143.1K

$45.6K ₪139.1K

2.89%

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

$230 ₪702

$211 ₪644

9.04%

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

$12.65 ₪38.63

$12.01 ₪36.67

5.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.19 ₪89.1

$28.11 ₪85.8

3.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.0 ₪265

$66.5 ₪203

30.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.74 ₪93.9

$18.36 ₪56.0

67.43%

Cinema Ticket

$12.72 ₪38.85

$12.23 ₪37.35

4.01%

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

$880 ₪2,687

$916 ₪2,796

-3.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.7K ₪66.1K

$16.6K ₪50.7K

30.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 ₪318

$74.2 ₪227

40.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.1 ₪193

$58.7 ₪179

7.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 ₪384

$98.1 ₪300

28.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ₪357

$101 ₪307

16.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,580 ₪4,823

$845 ₪2,580

86.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,163 ₪3,552

$705 ₪2,152

65.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,801 ₪8,552

$1,493 ₪4,559

87.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,928 ₪5,885

$1,354 ₪4,133

42.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$20.1K ₪61.2K

$10.4K ₪31.8K

92.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,924 ₪27.2K

$7,927 ₪24.2K

12.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,947 ₪12.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.75

118.18%

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

Last update for Jerusalem: July 11, 2026

Last update for Beit Shemesh: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,580 in Jerusalem versus $845 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $84.0 in Jerusalem versus $84.0 in Beit Shemesh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $364 – making Jerusalem the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Yes – Jerusalem is pricier by about 30%, 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 $3,798 per month in Jerusalem and $2,919 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Jerusalem – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $84.0 in Jerusalem and $84.0 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 $1,946, than in Jerusalem at $2,532. In Beit Shemesh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jerusalem 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, Jerusalem makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.