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 $2,531 per month in Jerusalem vs $2,353 in Givat Shmuel, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,714 per month in Jerusalem vs $3,412 in Givat Shmuel, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,897 per month in Jerusalem vs $4,470 in Givat Shmuel, rent included.

Jerusalem costs about 8% more than Givat Shmuel, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Jerusalem and Givat Shmuel sit above the global median – Jerusalem by 89%, Givat Shmuel by 76%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.83 ₪65.5

$22.87 ₪65.7

-0.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.5 ₪246

$71.1 ₪204

20.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.26 ₪43.82

$16.99 ₪48.77

-10.18%

Cappuccino

$4.23 ₪12.15

$3.95 ₪11.35

7.09%

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

$2.68 ₪7.68

$3.18 ₪9.14

-15.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ₪6.08

$2.41 ₪6.91

-12.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.96 ₪25.72

$9.32 ₪26.76

-3.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.29 ₪23.81

$8.38 ₪24.04

-1.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ₪6.04

$1.95 ₪5.59

7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.42 ₪6.94

$2.40 ₪6.90

0.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.86 ₪8.22

$2.94 ₪8.45

-2.72%

Eggs

$4.08 ₪11.72

$2.31 ₪6.63

76.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.80 ₪39.61

$19.31 ₪55.4

-28.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.45 ₪32.88

$14.19 ₪40.72

-19.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.44 ₪50.1

$19.68 ₪56.5

-11.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 ₪9.34

$3.28 ₪9.42

-0.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 ₪5.70

$1.93 ₪5.54

2.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ₪5.16

$1.39 ₪3.99

29.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 ₪7.03

$2.27 ₪6.50

7.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 ₪5.01

$2.02 ₪5.81

-13.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ₪4.31

$1.51 ₪4.35

-0.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 ₪5.79

$1.45 ₪4.16

39.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 ₪4.09

$1.15 ₪3.29

23.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.95 ₪28.57

$11.39 ₪32.71

-12.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.64 ₪47.78

$16.40 ₪47.08

1.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 ₪7.01

$1.10 ₪3.15

121.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ₪7.93

$1.14 ₪3.29

142.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 ₪4.94

$1.66 ₪4.75

3.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.6 ₪191

$65.4 ₪188

1.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 ₪10.05

$4.10 ₪11.79

-14.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₪2.64

$0.87 ₪2.49

5.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.88 ₪80.0

$32.77 ₪94.1

-14.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 ₪5.72

$1.98 ₪5.68

0.51%

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

$45.9K ₪131.6K

$49.6K ₪142.3K

-7.49%

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

$46.7K ₪133.9K

$49.5K ₪142.2K

-5.79%

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

$231 ₪663

$236 ₪679

-2.31%

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

$12.24 ₪35.13

$10.61 ₪30.46

15.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.59 ₪82.1

$33.48 ₪96.1

-14.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.1 ₪250

$65.1 ₪187

33.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.76 ₪85.4

$17.95 ₪51.5

65.79%

Cinema Ticket

$12.56 ₪36.05

$13.34 ₪38.30

-5.85%

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

$877 ₪2,517

$853 ₪2,448

2.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.1K ₪60.7K

$10.3K ₪29.7K

104.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 ₪296

$100 ₪287

2.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.8 ₪183

$54.0 ₪155

18.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 ₪358

$122 ₪349

2.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ₪337

$147 ₪422

-20.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,551 ₪4,454

$1,023 ₪2,937

51.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 ₪3,256

$937 ₪2,691

20.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,765 ₪7,937

$1,526 ₪4,380

81.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,900 ₪5,455

$1,387 ₪3,981

37.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$21.3K ₪61.2K

$11.2K ₪32.1K

90.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,585 ₪27.5K

$7,055 ₪20.3K

35.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,196 ₪12.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.4

36.36%

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

Last update for Jerusalem: June 1, 2026

Last update for Givat Shmuel: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,551 in Jerusalem versus $1,023 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 $86.0 in Jerusalem versus $71.0 in Givat Shmuel. Groceries tell a different story – $356 in Jerusalem vs $367 in Givat Shmuel – so Jerusalem wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 8% more than Givat Shmuel, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,796 per month in Jerusalem and $3,530 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 $2,531 in Jerusalem and $2,353 in Givat Shmuel. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 2% less in Givat Shmuel. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Givat Shmuel, where all-in costs run around $2,353, than in Jerusalem at $2,531. In Givat Shmuel it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jerusalem it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.