Cost of Living Comparison Between Jerusalem and Givat Shmuel Cost of Living Comparison Between Jerusalem and Givat Shmuel

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,922 per month in Jerusalem vs $2,795 in Givat Shmuel, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,304 per month in Jerusalem vs $4,173 in Givat Shmuel, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,687 per month in Jerusalem vs $5,551 in Givat Shmuel, rent included.

Jerusalem costs about 5% more than Givat Shmuel, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Jerusalem and Givat Shmuel sit above the global median – Jerusalem by 112%, Givat Shmuel by 103%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.49 ₪71.2

$22.97 ₪69.6

2.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 ₪305

$98.9 ₪300

1.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.14 ₪61.0

$20.60 ₪62.4

-2.23%

Cappuccino

$5.03 ₪15.25

$5.63 ₪17.05

-10.66%

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

$3.50 ₪10.61

$2.96 ₪8.98

18.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 ₪8.90

$1.94 ₪5.87

51.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.34 ₪25.28

$10.02 ₪30.37

-16.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.46 ₪31.71

$6.52 ₪19.76

60.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.38 ₪7.22

$2.10 ₪6.37

13.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.35 ₪10.14

$2.74 ₪8.31

22.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.60 ₪10.91

$2.25 ₪6.82

60.00%

Eggs

$5.01 ₪15.20

$5.35 ₪16.20

-6.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.48 ₪53.0

$22.40 ₪67.9

-21.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.53 ₪44.04

$13.94 ₪42.24

4.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$36.02 ₪109

$25.92 ₪78.6

38.97%

Apples (1kg)

$4.48 ₪13.58

$4.80 ₪14.53

-6.67%

Banana (1kg)

$3.33 ₪10.09

$3.96 ₪11.99

-15.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 ₪8.08

$2.55 ₪7.74

4.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.48 ₪7.51

$3.43 ₪10.39

-27.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 ₪5.78

$1.79 ₪5.44

6.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 ₪5.13

$1.45 ₪4.38

16.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 ₪6.19

$2.76 ₪8.37

-26.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ₪5.61

$1.02 ₪3.09

81.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.59 ₪41.17

$14.96 ₪45.33

-9.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.43 ₪46.76

$8.95 ₪27.11

72.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.96 ₪18.05

$3.36 ₪10.18

77.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 ₪18.16

$4.00 ₪12.11

49.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.72 ₪8.23

$2.71 ₪8.20

0.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.7 ₪214

$76.5 ₪232

-7.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.09 ₪12.39

$2.73 ₪8.28

49.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 ₪3.87

$1.17 ₪3.55

9.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.89 ₪78.5

$20.02 ₪60.7

29.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.65 ₪8.02

$2.61 ₪7.89

1.53%

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

$59.9K ₪181.6K

$58.2K ₪176.5K

2.89%

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

$60.2K ₪182.4K

$58.0K ₪175.8K

3.77%

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

$290 ₪879

$447 ₪1,356

-35.14%

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

$12.50 ₪37.87

$11.86 ₪35.95

5.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.08 ₪131

$36.64 ₪111

17.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.6 ₪229

$73.8 ₪224

2.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.28 ₪55.4

Cinema Ticket

$14.72 ₪44.61

$13.39 ₪40.56

9.93%

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

$1,412 ₪4,279

$1,182 ₪3,583

19.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.4K ₪89.2K

$31.5K ₪95.3K

-6.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$121 ₪367

$39.71 ₪120

204.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$78.5 ₪238

$43.96 ₪133

78.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$154 ₪467

$93.8 ₪284

64.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$167 ₪507

$116 ₪353

43.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,866 ₪5,656

$1,555 ₪4,711

20.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,313 ₪3,978

$1,174 ₪3,559

11.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,814 ₪11.6K

$2,335 ₪7,075

63.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,895 ₪5,744

$1,901 ₪5,761

-0.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$20.3K ₪61.4K

$9,729 ₪29.5K

108.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,233 ₪28.0K

$7,884 ₪23.9K

17.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,825 ₪11.6K

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: September 8, 2026

Last update for Givat Shmuel: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,866 in Jerusalem versus $1,555 in Givat Shmuel. 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 $101 in Jerusalem versus $99.0 in Givat Shmuel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $503 vs $443 – making Givat Shmuel 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 Givat Shmuel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jerusalem costs about 5% more than Givat Shmuel, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,383 per month in Jerusalem and $4,193 in Givat Shmuel. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Givat Shmuel, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,922 in Jerusalem and $2,795 in Givat Shmuel. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 8% less in Givat Shmuel. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,922 in Jerusalem and $2,795 in Givat Shmuel. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Givat Shmuel – 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 Givat Shmuel. 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.