Cost of Living Comparison Between Jerusalem and Rishon Leziyyon Cost of Living Comparison Between Jerusalem and Rishon Leziyyon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,531 per month in Jerusalem vs $2,500 in Rishon Leziyyon, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,714 per month in Jerusalem vs $3,680 in Rishon Leziyyon, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,897 per month in Jerusalem vs $4,860 in Rishon Leziyyon, rent included.

Jerusalem costs about 1% more than Rishon Leziyyon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Jerusalem and Rishon Leziyyon sit above the global median – Jerusalem by 89%, Rishon Leziyyon by 87%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.83 ₪65.0

$22.51 ₪64.1

1.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.5 ₪243

$70.8 ₪202

20.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.26 ₪43.46

$17.13 ₪48.76

-10.92%

Cappuccino

$4.23 ₪12.05

$3.98 ₪11.34

6.28%

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

$2.68 ₪7.62

$3.18 ₪9.05

-15.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ₪6.03

$2.43 ₪6.93

-12.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.96 ₪25.50

$9.08 ₪25.85

-1.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.29 ₪23.61

$8.26 ₪23.53

0.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ₪5.99

$1.93 ₪5.49

8.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.42 ₪6.88

$2.37 ₪6.74

2.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.86 ₪8.15

$2.95 ₪8.39

-3.05%

Eggs

$4.08 ₪11.62

$4.31 ₪12.26

-5.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.80 ₪39.28

$19.17 ₪54.6

-28.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.45 ₪32.61

$14.26 ₪40.60

-19.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.44 ₪49.65

$19.89 ₪56.6

-12.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 ₪9.26

$3.75 ₪10.69

-13.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 ₪5.65

$2.18 ₪6.21

-9.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ₪5.12

$2.07 ₪5.90

-13.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 ₪6.97

$3.49 ₪9.92

-29.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 ₪4.97

$2.02 ₪5.75

-13.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ₪4.28

$1.59 ₪4.53

-5.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 ₪5.74

$2.41 ₪6.85

-16.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 ₪4.05

$1.10 ₪3.12

29.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.95 ₪28.33

$11.40 ₪32.45

-12.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.64 ₪47.39

$16.31 ₪46.43

2.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 ₪6.96

$3.00 ₪8.55

-18.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ₪7.86

$3.12 ₪8.89

-11.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 ₪4.90

$2.01 ₪5.72

-14.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.6 ₪190

$67.5 ₪192

-1.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 ₪9.97

$4.02 ₪11.44

-12.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₪2.62

$0.83 ₪2.36

10.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.88 ₪79.4

$32.38 ₪92.2

-13.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 ₪5.68

$2.06 ₪5.87

-3.40%

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

$45.9K ₪130.5K

$48.9K ₪139.3K

-6.28%

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

$46.7K ₪132.8K

$48.3K ₪137.4K

-3.34%

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

$231 ₪657

$248 ₪708

-7.08%

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

$12.24 ₪34.84

$10.58 ₪30.12

15.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.59 ₪81.4

$33.95 ₪96.7

-15.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.1 ₪248

$71.5 ₪204

21.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.76 ₪84.7

$11.41 ₪32.48

160.82%

Cinema Ticket

$12.56 ₪35.75

$13.30 ₪37.88

-5.56%

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

$877 ₪2,497

$855 ₪2,435

2.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.1K ₪60.2K

$10.3K ₪29.4K

104.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 ₪293

$103 ₪292

0.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.8 ₪182

$56.0 ₪159

13.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 ₪355

$120 ₪340

4.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ₪334

$149 ₪424

-21.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,551 ₪4,417

$1,174 ₪3,342

32.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 ₪3,229

$1,041 ₪2,965

8.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,765 ₪7,872

$1,634 ₪4,653

69.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,900 ₪5,410

$1,741 ₪4,956

9.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$21.3K ₪60.7K

$11.2K ₪31.8K

91.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,585 ₪27.3K

$7,996 ₪22.8K

19.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,196 ₪11.9K

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 Rishon Leziyyon: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,551 in Jerusalem versus $1,174 in Rishon Leziyyon. 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 Rishon Leziyyon. Groceries tell a different story – $356 in Jerusalem vs $404 in Rishon Leziyyon – 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 Rishon Leziyyon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,531 in Jerusalem, $2,500 in Rishon Leziyyon – roughly 1% apart. Jerusalem costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,796 per month in Jerusalem and $3,750 in Rishon Leziyyon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rishon Leziyyon, 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 $71.0 in Rishon Leziyyon. 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 $2,500 in Rishon Leziyyon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rishon Leziyyon, where all-in costs run around $2,500, than in Jerusalem at $2,531. In Rishon Leziyyon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jerusalem it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rishon Leziyyon – 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 Rishon Leziyyon. 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.