Cost of Living Comparison Between Ramallah and Al-birah Cost of Living Comparison Between Ramallah and Al-birah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Ramallah vs $1,112 in Al-birah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,044 per month in Ramallah vs $1,928 in Al-birah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,837 per month in Ramallah vs $2,745 in Al-birah, rent included.

Ramallah costs about 12% more than Al-birah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ramallah and Al-birah are more affordable than the global median – Ramallah 6% lower, Al-birah 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.95 ₪42.99

$9.53 ₪29.37

46.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.4 ₪171

$42.11 ₪130

31.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.06 ₪34.06

$11.40 ₪35.11

-2.98%

Cappuccino

$3.88 ₪11.97

$3.75 ₪11.54

3.47%

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

$0.79 ₪2.45

$0.81 ₪2.49

-2.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₪1.90

$0.58 ₪1.78

6.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.54 ₪17.06

$5.69 ₪17.52

-2.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.46 ₪16.83

$5.52 ₪17.00

-1.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 ₪6.51

$2.01 ₪6.20

4.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 ₪3.57

$0.58 ₪1.79

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 ₪7.89

$2.52 ₪7.76

1.59%

Eggs

$4.08 ₪12.58

$2.08 ₪6.40

96.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.73 ₪23.80

$6.28 ₪19.36

23.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.41 ₪25.92

$6.43 ₪19.80

30.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.93 ₪55.3

$15.54 ₪47.87

15.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ₪8.05

$2.66 ₪8.19

-1.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 ₪5.95

$1.44 ₪4.45

34.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 ₪5.96

$1.40 ₪4.31

38.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.01 ₪6.20

$1.98 ₪6.10

1.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 ₪3.20

$1.09 ₪3.36

-4.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ₪4.09

$1.33 ₪4.11

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ₪4.29

$1.44 ₪4.43

-3.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ₪2.71

$0.83 ₪2.55

6.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.06 ₪24.82

$7.44 ₪22.92

8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 ₪8.17

$2.77 ₪8.53

-4.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 ₪7.72

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.66 ₪5.11

$0.95 ₪2.93

74.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.0 ₪219

$59.1 ₪182

20.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 ₪8.77

$2.77 ₪8.53

2.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 ₪4.20

$1.34 ₪4.12

1.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.29 ₪44.04

$14.00 ₪43.14

2.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 ₪6.70

$1.93 ₪5.95

12.44%

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

$38.6K ₪119.1K

$36.0K ₪110.8K

7.42%

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

$46.6K ₪143.7K

$44.5K ₪137.0K

4.87%

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

$83.8 ₪258

$81.8 ₪252

2.46%

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

$18.79 ₪57.9

$19.23 ₪59.3

-2.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.66 ₪144

$46.79 ₪144

-0.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.4 ₪241

$57.2 ₪176

36.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.18 ₪52.9

$28.57 ₪88.0

-39.87%

Cinema Ticket

$8.95 ₪27.57

$8.68 ₪26.74

3.11%

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

$215 ₪661

$215 ₪664

-0.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,861 ₪11.9K

$3,774 ₪11.6K

2.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 ₪191

$42.86 ₪132

44.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.92 ₪117

$38.24 ₪118

-0.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.9 ₪292

$56.3 ₪173

68.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ₪222

$42.20 ₪130

71.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 ₪1,347

$353 ₪1,086

24.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 ₪911

$327 ₪1,008

-9.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$868 ₪2,673

$849 ₪2,617

2.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 ₪2,095

$968 ₪2,982

-29.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,176 ₪3,624

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$915 ₪2,818

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.62

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

Last update for Ramallah: July 25, 2026

Last update for Al-birah: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $437 in Ramallah versus $353 in Al-birah. 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 $55.0 in Ramallah versus $42.00 in Al-birah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $261 vs $220 – making Al-birah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ramallah vs Al-birah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,250 in Ramallah, $1,112 in Al-birah – roughly 12% apart. Ramallah costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,876 per month in Ramallah and $1,668 in Al-birah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 19% more in Ramallah, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Ramallah and $42.00 in Al-birah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Al-birah, where all-in costs run around $1,112, than in Ramallah at $1,250. In Al-birah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ramallah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Al-birah has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,112 in Al-birah to $1,250 in Ramallah. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Al-birah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ramallah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.