Cost of Living Comparison Between Jerusalem and Maale Adumim Cost of Living Comparison Between Jerusalem and Maale Adumim

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,531 per month in Jerusalem vs $2,283 in Maale Adumim, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,714 per month in Jerusalem vs $3,321 in Maale Adumim, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,897 per month in Jerusalem vs $4,359 in Maale Adumim, rent included.

Jerusalem costs about 11% more than Maale Adumim, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Jerusalem and Maale Adumim sit above the global median – Jerusalem by 89%, Maale Adumim by 70%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.83 ₪65.0

$22.65 ₪64.5

0.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.5 ₪243

$85.4 ₪243

0.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.26 ₪43.46

$15.31 ₪43.58

-0.33%

Cappuccino

$4.23 ₪12.05

$3.64 ₪10.37

16.21%

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

$2.68 ₪7.62

$2.68 ₪7.63

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ₪6.03

$2.14 ₪6.10

-0.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.96 ₪25.50

$8.35 ₪23.79

7.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.29 ₪23.61

$8.39 ₪23.90

-1.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ₪5.99

$1.96 ₪5.58

7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.42 ₪6.88

$2.58 ₪7.35

-6.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.86 ₪8.15

$2.39 ₪6.81

19.67%

Eggs

$4.08 ₪11.62

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.80 ₪39.28

$13.92 ₪39.65

-0.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.45 ₪32.61

$11.17 ₪31.80

2.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.44 ₪49.65

$17.39 ₪49.51

0.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 ₪9.26

$3.02 ₪8.60

7.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 ₪5.65

$1.99 ₪5.66

-0.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ₪5.12

$1.72 ₪4.91

4.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 ₪6.97

$1.90 ₪5.41

28.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 ₪4.97

$1.44 ₪4.09

20.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ₪4.28

$1.26 ₪3.58

19.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 ₪5.74

$2.00 ₪5.69

1.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 ₪4.05

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.95 ₪28.33

$10.01 ₪28.51

-0.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.64 ₪47.39

$13.92 ₪39.63

19.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 ₪6.96

$2.51 ₪7.13

-2.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ₪7.86

$2.93 ₪8.35

-5.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 ₪4.90

$1.65 ₪4.70

4.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.6 ₪190

$65.0 ₪185

2.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 ₪9.97

$3.65 ₪10.40

-4.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₪2.62

$0.86 ₪2.44

6.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.88 ₪79.4

$33.39 ₪95.1

-16.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 ₪5.68

$1.98 ₪5.63

0.51%

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

$45.9K ₪130.5K

$39.4K ₪112.2K

16.32%

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

$46.7K ₪132.8K

$41.8K ₪119.1K

11.50%

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

$231 ₪657

$227 ₪646

1.76%

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

$12.24 ₪34.84

$11.09 ₪31.56

10.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.59 ₪81.4

$29.40 ₪83.7

-2.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.1 ₪248

$65.0 ₪185

33.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.76 ₪84.7

$18.46 ₪52.6

61.21%

Cinema Ticket

$12.56 ₪35.75

$12.57 ₪35.80

-0.08%

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

$877 ₪2,497

$842 ₪2,396

4.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.1K ₪60.2K

$4,700 ₪13.4K

349.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 ₪293

$106 ₪302

-2.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.8 ₪182

-0.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 ₪355

$126 ₪359

-1.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ₪334

$140 ₪398

-15.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,551 ₪4,417

$1,035 ₪2,948

49.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 ₪3,229

$932 ₪2,654

21.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,765 ₪7,872

$1,520 ₪4,329

81.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,900 ₪5,410

$1,386 ₪3,947

37.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$21.3K ₪60.7K

$5,908 ₪16.8K

260.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,585 ₪27.3K

$6,288 ₪17.9K

52.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,196 ₪11.9K

$3,392 ₪9,659

23.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Jerusalem: June 1, 2026

Last update for Maale Adumim: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,551 in Jerusalem versus $1,035 in Maale Adumim. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 24% higher in Jerusalem, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $86.0 in Jerusalem versus $85.0 in Maale Adumim. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $356 vs $343 – making Maale Adumim 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 Maale Adumim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,531 in Jerusalem, $2,283 in Maale Adumim – roughly 11% apart. Jerusalem costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,796 per month in Jerusalem and $3,424 in Maale Adumim. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $86.0 in Jerusalem and $85.0 in Maale Adumim. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,531 in Jerusalem and $2,283 in Maale Adumim. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Maale Adumim, where all-in costs run around $2,283, than in Jerusalem at $2,531. In Maale Adumim it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jerusalem it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Maale Adumim – 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 Maale Adumim. 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.