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 $3,611 per month in Tel Aviv-Yafo vs $3,143 in Beit Shemesh, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,346 per month in Tel Aviv-Yafo vs $4,689 in Beit Shemesh, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,082 per month in Tel Aviv-Yafo vs $6,234 in Beit Shemesh, rent included.

Tel Aviv-Yafo costs about 15% more than Beit Shemesh, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Tel Aviv-Yafo and Beit Shemesh sit above the global median – Tel Aviv-Yafo by 162%, Beit Shemesh by 128%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.81 ₪81.2

$26.37 ₪79.9

1.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$134 ₪407

$135 ₪409

-0.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$21.94 ₪66.5

$21.23 ₪64.3

3.34%

Cappuccino

$5.56 ₪16.84

$5.46 ₪16.54

1.83%

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

$4.09 ₪12.39

$3.95 ₪11.96

3.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 ₪9.54

$3.25 ₪9.85

-3.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.24 ₪34.07

$10.73 ₪32.52

4.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.34 ₪34.38

$10.51 ₪31.85

7.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.59 ₪7.84

$2.65 ₪8.02

-2.26%

White Bread (500g)

$4.72 ₪14.30

$4.75 ₪14.39

-0.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.85 ₪11.67

$3.73 ₪11.29

3.22%

Eggs

$5.44 ₪16.49

$5.17 ₪15.67

5.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.64 ₪65.6

$21.69 ₪65.7

-0.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.98 ₪51.4

$16.52 ₪50.1

2.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.60 ₪77.6

$25.37 ₪76.9

0.91%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 ₪14.20

$4.65 ₪14.08

0.86%

Banana (1kg)

$3.85 ₪11.65

$3.83 ₪11.60

0.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 ₪7.50

$2.56 ₪7.75

-3.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.44 ₪10.44

$3.40 ₪10.30

1.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.88 ₪5.70

$1.98 ₪6.00

-5.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 ₪5.70

$1.95 ₪5.90

-3.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 ₪8.14

$2.74 ₪8.32

-1.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₪8.08

$2.77 ₪8.40

-3.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.87 ₪45.07

$14.88 ₪45.08

-0.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.77 ₪50.8

$16.66 ₪50.5

0.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.77 ₪11.41

$3.89 ₪11.78

-3.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 ₪15.04

$5.01 ₪15.17

-1.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.64 ₪8.00

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 ₪311

$76.4 ₪231

34.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.37 ₪13.24

$4.49 ₪13.59

-2.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 ₪3.36

$1.12 ₪3.40

-0.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.30 ₪61.5

$19.76 ₪59.9

2.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.61 ₪7.92

$2.41 ₪7.29

8.30%

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

$58.2K ₪176.3K

$57.2K ₪173.3K

1.72%

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

$58.1K ₪175.9K

$57.8K ₪175.1K

0.48%

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

$450 ₪1,363

$454 ₪1,375

-0.86%

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

$11.61 ₪35.19

$11.88 ₪36.00

-2.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.47 ₪111

$35.47 ₪107

2.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$113 ₪342

$75.4 ₪229

49.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.60 ₪71.5

Cinema Ticket

$16.47 ₪49.91

$16.14 ₪48.91

2.04%

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

$1,749 ₪5,301

$1,758 ₪5,326

-0.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K ₪95.8K

$31.2K ₪94.4K

1.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$130 ₪393

$129 ₪390

0.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$89.2 ₪270

$90.1 ₪273

-1.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$179 ₪543

$177 ₪537

1.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$199 ₪602

$205 ₪621

-3.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,193 ₪6,647

$1,646 ₪4,988

33.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,679 ₪5,088

$1,306 ₪3,959

28.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,759 ₪11.4K

$2,306 ₪6,989

62.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,777 ₪8,414

$2,196 ₪6,656

26.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$20.3K ₪61.5K

$8,542 ₪25.9K

137.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$13.3K ₪40.3K

$8,308 ₪25.2K

60.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,134 ₪12.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.03

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

Last update for Tel Aviv-Yafo: September 6, 2026

Last update for Beit Shemesh: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,193 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $1,646 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $134 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $135 in Beit Shemesh. Groceries tell a different story – $525 in Tel Aviv-Yafo vs $524 in Beit Shemesh – so Beit Shemesh 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

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

Yes – Tel Aviv-Yafo is pricier by about 15%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,416 per month in Tel Aviv-Yafo and $4,715 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 0% 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 $134 in Tel Aviv-Yafo and $135 in Beit Shemesh. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,611 in Tel Aviv-Yafo and $3,143 in Beit Shemesh. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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.