Cost of Living Comparison Between Jerusalem and Eilat Cost of Living Comparison Between Jerusalem and Eilat

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,531 in Jerusalem versus $1,873 in Eilat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,714 in Jerusalem versus $2,927 in Eilat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,897 in Jerusalem versus $3,980 in Eilat.

Living in Jerusalem is roughly 35% more expensive than Eilat, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Jerusalem 89% above, Eilat 40% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.83 ₪65.0

$20.77 ₪59.1

9.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.5 ₪243

$79.9 ₪227

7.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.26 ₪43.46

$14.30 ₪40.73

6.71%

Cappuccino

$4.23 ₪12.05

$3.93 ₪11.20

7.63%

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

$2.68 ₪7.62

$3.09 ₪8.79

-13.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ₪6.03

$2.23 ₪6.36

-4.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.96 ₪25.50

$6.37 ₪18.14

40.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.29 ₪23.61

$6.73 ₪19.17

23.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ₪5.99

$1.74 ₪4.96

20.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.42 ₪6.88

$2.10 ₪5.97

15.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.86 ₪8.15

$2.42 ₪6.88

18.18%

Eggs

$4.08 ₪11.62

$3.64 ₪10.36

12.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.80 ₪39.28

$13.93 ₪39.65

-0.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.45 ₪32.61

$9.07 ₪25.84

26.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.44 ₪49.65

$19.41 ₪55.3

-10.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 ₪9.26

$3.62 ₪10.30

-10.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 ₪5.65

$2.36 ₪6.73

-16.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ₪5.12

$1.87 ₪5.33

-3.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 ₪6.97

$2.31 ₪6.58

6.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 ₪4.97

$1.63 ₪4.63

6.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ₪4.28

$1.59 ₪4.52

-5.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 ₪5.74

$1.83 ₪5.20

10.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 ₪4.05

$1.31 ₪3.72

8.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.95 ₪28.33

$9.10 ₪25.91

9.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.64 ₪47.39

$16.10 ₪45.83

3.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 ₪6.96

$2.23 ₪6.36

9.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ₪7.86

$3.02 ₪8.60

-8.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 ₪4.90

$1.73 ₪4.93

-0.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.6 ₪190

$65.2 ₪186

2.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 ₪9.97

$3.50 ₪9.96

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₪2.62

$1.69 ₪4.81

-45.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.88 ₪79.4

$32.37 ₪92.2

-13.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 ₪5.68

$1.99 ₪5.67

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

$45.9K ₪130.5K

$47.6K ₪135.6K

-3.71%

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

$46.7K ₪132.8K

$45.2K ₪128.7K

3.23%

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

$231 ₪657

$178 ₪506

30.03%

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

$12.24 ₪34.84

$8.07 ₪22.98

51.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.59 ₪81.4

$22.56 ₪64.2

26.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.1 ₪248

$41.68 ₪119

108.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.76 ₪84.7

$18.34 ₪52.2

62.27%

Cinema Ticket

$12.56 ₪35.75

$12.58 ₪35.81

-0.16%

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

$877 ₪2,497

$926 ₪2,637

-5.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.1K ₪60.2K

$17.2K ₪49.1K

22.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 ₪293

$75.9 ₪216

35.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.8 ₪182

$49.76 ₪142

28.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 ₪355

$96.2 ₪274

29.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ₪334

$104 ₪296

12.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,551 ₪4,417

$1,197 ₪3,410

29.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 ₪3,229

$703 ₪2,002

61.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,765 ₪7,872

$1,804 ₪5,136

53.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,900 ₪5,410

$1,317 ₪3,750

44.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$21.3K ₪60.7K

$11.5K ₪32.7K

85.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,585 ₪27.3K

$8,522 ₪24.3K

12.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,196 ₪11.9K

$4,506 ₪12.8K

-6.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.63

29.59%

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

Last update for Jerusalem: June 1, 2026

Last update for Eilat: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,551 in Jerusalem and $1,197 in Eilat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Eilat pays 7% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $86.0 in Jerusalem vs $80.0 in Eilat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $356 vs $340 per month, with Eilat cheaper across the board.

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 Eilat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jerusalem and Eilat differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($2,531 vs $1,873 including rent). Eilat is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Eilat earns 7% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,551 in Jerusalem versus $1,197 in Eilat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Eilat runs roughly 2% less than in Jerusalem. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $877 in Jerusalem versus $926 in Eilat. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,873 in Eilat versus $2,531 in Jerusalem, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Eilat but tight or insufficient in Jerusalem. The gap between the two cities makes Eilat the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Jerusalem and Eilat 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 Eilat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Jerusalem. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.