Cost of Living Comparison Between Ramallah and Qalqilya Cost of Living Comparison Between Ramallah and Qalqilya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,227 per month in Ramallah vs $903 in Qalqilya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,063 per month in Ramallah vs $1,296 in Qalqilya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,898 per month in Ramallah vs $1,690 in Qalqilya, rent included.

Ramallah costs about 36% more than Qalqilya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ramallah and Qalqilya are more affordable than the global median – Ramallah 9% lower, Qalqilya 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.15 ₪41.26

$5.03 ₪14.67

181.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.6 ₪165

$22.26 ₪64.9

154.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.12 ₪32.43

$7.95 ₪23.18

39.87%

Cappuccino

$3.90 ₪11.37

$1.38 ₪4.02

182.61%

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

$0.74 ₪2.17

$0.68 ₪2.00

8.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₪1.66

$0.61 ₪1.79

-6.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.51 ₪16.06

$3.01 ₪8.79

83.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.67 ₪16.53

$3.35 ₪9.78

69.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₪6.23

$2.17 ₪6.33

-1.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 ₪3.26

$1.14 ₪3.33

-1.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.52 ₪7.36

$2.14 ₪6.23

17.76%

Eggs

$3.91 ₪11.40

$2.16 ₪6.30

81.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.39 ₪21.54

$5.04 ₪14.69

46.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.83 ₪25.74

$7.45 ₪21.74

18.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.67 ₪51.5

$10.62 ₪30.98

66.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 ₪7.46

$1.64 ₪4.79

56.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 ₪5.91

$1.23 ₪3.59

65.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 ₪5.89

$0.95 ₪2.76

112.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ₪5.81

$1.37 ₪3.99

45.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 ₪3.08

$1.09 ₪3.19

-2.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ₪3.88

$1.38 ₪4.01

-3.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 ₪4.01

$1.37 ₪3.99

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ₪2.36

$0.85 ₪2.48

-4.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.24 ₪24.02

$7.27 ₪21.19

13.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 ₪7.78

$2.77 ₪8.07

-3.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 ₪7.32

$2.45 ₪7.14

2.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.74 ₪5.07

$1.24 ₪3.62

40.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.1 ₪204

$55.8 ₪163

25.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.77 ₪8.09

$2.51 ₪7.33

10.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 ₪3.97

$2.58 ₪7.52

-47.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.34 ₪41.82

$13.82 ₪40.30

3.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 ₪6.09

$1.93 ₪5.61

8.29%

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

$38.8K ₪113.1K

$38.8K ₪113.0K

0.09%

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

$46.1K ₪134.3K

$39.7K ₪115.7K

16.13%

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

$84.3 ₪246

$83.1 ₪242

1.41%

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

$18.62 ₪54.3

$16.78 ₪48.92

10.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.28 ₪138

$31.49 ₪91.8

50.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.7 ₪232

$24.33 ₪70.9

227.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.67 ₪48.60

$10.17 ₪29.66

63.91%

Cinema Ticket

$9.26 ₪27.01

$6.52 ₪19.01

42.02%

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

$216 ₪629

$166 ₪483

30.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,818 ₪11.1K

$2,790 ₪8,137

36.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.2 ₪179

$42.98 ₪125

42.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.68 ₪110

$38.86 ₪113

-3.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 ₪271

$73.9 ₪216

25.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.2 ₪214

$63.1 ₪184

16.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$441 ₪1,287

$347 ₪1,012

27.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 ₪866

$237 ₪690

25.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$888 ₪2,589

$528 ₪1,539

68.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 ₪1,965

$304 ₪886

121.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,488 ₪4,339

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,079 ₪3,145

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$849 ₪2,475

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.62

12.40%

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

Last update for Ramallah: June 9, 2026

Last update for Qalqilya: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $441 in Ramallah versus $347 in Qalqilya. 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 $57.0 in Ramallah versus $22.00 in Qalqilya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $201 – making Qalqilya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ramallah vs Qalqilya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ramallah costs about 36% more than Qalqilya, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,841 per month in Ramallah and $1,354 in Qalqilya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Qalqilya, 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 $57.0 in Ramallah and $22.00 in Qalqilya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,227 in Ramallah and $903 in Qalqilya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Qalqilya, where all-in costs run around $903, than in Ramallah at $1,227. In Qalqilya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ramallah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Qalqilya – 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 Qalqilya. 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.