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: $2,979 in Jerusalem versus $3,085 in Eilat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,389 in Jerusalem versus $4,518 in Eilat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,800 in Jerusalem versus $5,951 in Eilat.

Living in Jerusalem costs roughly 3% less than in Eilat, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Jerusalem 117% above, Eilat 124% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.63 ₪71.5

$26.86 ₪81.2

-12.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.9 ₪299

$132 ₪398

-24.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.74 ₪59.7

$21.88 ₪66.2

-9.78%

Cappuccino

$5.11 ₪15.46

$5.53 ₪16.74

-7.59%

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

$3.52 ₪10.66

$3.99 ₪12.08

-11.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ₪8.69

$3.27 ₪9.88

-12.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.47 ₪25.61

$11.29 ₪34.16

-24.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.52 ₪31.82

$11.25 ₪34.03

-6.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.47 ₪7.48

$2.62 ₪7.93

-5.73%

White Bread (500g)

$3.48 ₪10.52

$4.61 ₪13.96

-24.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.71 ₪11.24

$3.86 ₪11.68

-3.89%

Eggs

$4.99 ₪15.10

$4.28 ₪12.95

16.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.52 ₪53.0

$21.97 ₪66.5

-20.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.76 ₪44.64

$16.75 ₪50.7

-11.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$35.85 ₪108

$26.15 ₪79.1

37.09%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 ₪13.73

$3.71 ₪11.24

22.37%

Banana (1kg)

$3.49 ₪10.56

$1.98 ₪6.00

76.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.77 ₪8.39

$1.65 ₪4.99

67.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 ₪7.28

$2.02 ₪6.12

19.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 ₪5.94

$1.56 ₪4.73

25.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.76 ₪5.33

$1.63 ₪4.92

7.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 ₪6.37

$2.79 ₪8.45

-24.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 ₪5.68

$2.79 ₪8.43

-32.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.66 ₪41.31

$14.80 ₪44.76

-7.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.74 ₪47.62

$11.53 ₪34.89

36.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.89 ₪17.82

$2.32 ₪7.02

153.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.10 ₪18.46

$1.34 ₪4.07

355.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.60 ₪7.87

$2.78 ₪8.40

-6.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.9 ₪212

$84.4 ₪255

-17.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.04 ₪12.21

$4.44 ₪13.42

-9.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 ₪3.87

$1.16 ₪3.51

10.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.92 ₪78.4

$20.23 ₪61.2

28.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.76 ₪8.34

$2.73 ₪8.27

1.10%

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

$59.3K ₪179.5K

$57.3K ₪173.3K

3.53%

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

$59.5K ₪179.8K

$58.7K ₪177.5K

1.30%

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

$296 ₪896

$452 ₪1,368

-34.47%

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

$12.96 ₪39.19

$11.68 ₪35.33

10.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.62 ₪132

$36.41 ₪110

19.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.3 ₪225

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.19 ₪55.0

Cinema Ticket

$15.28 ₪46.23

$16.51 ₪49.94

-7.45%

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

$1,444 ₪4,368

$1,702 ₪5,148

-15.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.6K ₪89.6K

$31.0K ₪93.8K

-4.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$120 ₪363

$126 ₪380

-4.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.8 ₪232

$87.4 ₪264

-12.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$158 ₪477

$117 ₪354

34.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$167 ₪504

$204 ₪616

-18.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,926 ₪5,826

$1,544 ₪4,670

24.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,312 ₪3,968

$1,183 ₪3,578

10.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,772 ₪11.4K

$2,347 ₪7,100

60.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,944 ₪5,882

$1,915 ₪5,793

1.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$20.6K ₪62.3K

$11.1K ₪33.5K

86.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,202 ₪27.8K

$8,765 ₪26.5K

4.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,778 ₪11.4K

$2,781 ₪8,413

35.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.99

5.03

-0.80%

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

Last update for Jerusalem: August 30, 2026

Last update for Eilat: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,926 in Jerusalem and $1,544 in Eilat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jerusalem pays 36% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $99.0 in Jerusalem vs $132 in Eilat. Groceries flip the comparison at $509 vs $470, with Eilat cheaper for home cooking.

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 4% in total monthly costs ($2,979 vs $3,085 including rent). Jerusalem is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 36% higher in Jerusalem, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,926 in Jerusalem versus $1,544 in Eilat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Jerusalem runs roughly 21% less than in Eilat. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,444 in Jerusalem versus $1,702 in Eilat. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Jerusalem is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Jerusalem gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Eilat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.