Cost of Living Comparison Between Tel Aviv-Yafo and Beit Shemesh Cost of Living Comparison Between Tel Aviv-Yafo and Beit Shemesh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,688 per month in Tel Aviv-Yafo vs $1,926 in Beit Shemesh, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,144 per month in Tel Aviv-Yafo vs $3,047 in Beit Shemesh, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,599 per month in Tel Aviv-Yafo vs $4,168 in Beit Shemesh, rent included.

Tel Aviv-Yafo costs about 40% more than Beit Shemesh, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tel Aviv-Yafo and Beit Shemesh sit above the global median – Tel Aviv-Yafo by 101%, Beit Shemesh by 44%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.14 ₪63.0

$21.53 ₪61.3

2.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$115 ₪327

$85.6 ₪244

34.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.84 ₪47.94

$14.53 ₪41.36

15.90%

Cappuccino

$4.22 ₪12.01

$4.17 ₪11.88

1.20%

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

$3.21 ₪9.15

$2.86 ₪8.14

12.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 ₪7.13

$2.32 ₪6.61

7.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.12 ₪25.96

$9.65 ₪27.48

-5.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.29 ₪23.61

$8.58 ₪24.43

-3.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 ₪5.66

$1.92 ₪5.46

3.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.95 ₪8.40

$2.56 ₪7.30

15.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.27 ₪9.32

$2.77 ₪7.88

18.05%

Eggs

$4.25 ₪12.11

$4.01 ₪11.43

5.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.80 ₪44.97

$16.71 ₪47.58

-5.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.39 ₪35.27

$11.07 ₪31.52

11.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.36 ₪60.8

$19.83 ₪56.5

7.72%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 ₪11.64

$3.62 ₪10.30

12.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 ₪7.15

$2.06 ₪5.87

21.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ₪6.60

$1.89 ₪5.38

22.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.24 ₪9.23

$2.34 ₪6.67

38.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 ₪5.27

$1.62 ₪4.61

14.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 ₪5.45

$1.63 ₪4.65

17.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.15 ₪6.12

$1.62 ₪4.62

32.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 ₪4.24

$0.89 ₪2.52

67.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.45 ₪32.61

$10.56 ₪30.07

8.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.91 ₪51.0

$13.19 ₪37.55

35.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 ₪8.92

$2.18 ₪6.21

43.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 ₪9.94

$2.67 ₪7.61

30.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.30 ₪6.55

$1.71 ₪4.86

34.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.3 ₪203

$28.29 ₪80.6

152.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.01 ₪11.42

$3.45 ₪9.82

16.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₪1.65

$0.59 ₪1.67

-1.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.27 ₪97.6

$21.45 ₪61.1

59.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 ₪5.84

$2.00 ₪5.69

2.50%

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

$48.2K ₪137.2K

$46.8K ₪133.2K

2.96%

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

$45.0K ₪128.0K

$45.2K ₪128.8K

-0.62%

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

$270 ₪770

$211 ₪600

28.33%

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

$10.89 ₪31.02

$11.90 ₪33.89

-8.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.26 ₪86.2

$27.64 ₪78.7

9.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.6 ₪224

$66.1 ₪188

19.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 ₪54.5

$18.34 ₪52.2

4.42%

Cinema Ticket

$13.29 ₪37.84

$12.42 ₪35.38

7.00%

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

$1,291 ₪3,677

$930 ₪2,648

38.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.4K ₪72.2K

$17.0K ₪48.5K

49.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 ₪316

$75.5 ₪215

46.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.8 ₪173

$59.4 ₪169

2.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 ₪381

$95.3 ₪271

40.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 ₪423

$104 ₪295

43.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,655 ₪4,712

$818 ₪2,330

102.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 ₪3,376

$707 ₪2,014

67.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,086 ₪8,786

$1,437 ₪4,091

114.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,287 ₪6,513

$1,349 ₪3,840

69.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$22.4K ₪63.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.6K ₪41.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,472 ₪12.7K

$4,966 ₪14.1K

-9.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.46

2.75

98.55%

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

Last update for Tel Aviv-Yafo: June 2, 2026

Last update for Beit Shemesh: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,655 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $818 in Beit Shemesh. 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 11% higher in Beit Shemesh, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $115 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $86.0 in Beit Shemesh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $408 vs $354 – making Beit Shemesh 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

Tel Aviv-Yafo vs Beit Shemesh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tel Aviv-Yafo is pricier by about 40%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,032 per month in Tel Aviv-Yafo and $2,888 in Beit Shemesh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 15% more in Tel Aviv-Yafo, 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 $115 in Tel Aviv-Yafo and $86.0 in Beit Shemesh. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Beit Shemesh, where all-in costs run around $1,926, than in Tel Aviv-Yafo at $2,688. In Beit Shemesh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tel Aviv-Yafo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Beit Shemesh – 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 Beit Shemesh. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tel Aviv-Yafo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.