Cost of Living Comparison Between Tel Aviv-Yafo and Cary, NC Cost of Living Comparison Between Tel Aviv-Yafo and Cary, NC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,611 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $2,893 in Cary, NC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,346 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $4,181 in Cary, NC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,082 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $5,469 in Cary, NC.

Living in Tel Aviv-Yafo is roughly 25% more expensive than in Cary, NC, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Tel Aviv-Yafo 162% above, Cary, NC 110% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.81 ₪81.0

$19.30 $19.30

38.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$134 ₪406

$101 $101

33.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$21.94 ₪66.3

$10.38 $10.38

111.37%

Cappuccino

$5.56 ₪16.79

$5.22 $5.22

6.51%

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

$4.09 ₪12.35

$2.04 $2.04

100.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 ₪9.52

$1.82 $1.82

73.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.24 ₪33.97

$4.46 $4.46

152.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.34 ₪34.28

$6.45 $6.45

75.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.59 ₪7.82

$1.03 $1.03

151.46%

White Bread (500g)

$4.72 ₪14.26

$5.72 $5.72

-17.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.85 ₪11.63

$6.15 $6.15

-37.40%

Eggs

$5.44 ₪16.44

$4.17 $4.17

30.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.64 ₪65.4

$17.94 $17.94

20.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.98 ₪51.3

$16.99 $16.99

-0.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.60 ₪77.4

$17.31 $17.31

47.89%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 ₪14.16

$6.20 $6.20

-24.35%

Banana (1kg)

$3.85 ₪11.62

$1.86 $1.86

106.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 ₪7.48

$3.76 $3.76

-34.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.44 ₪10.41

$6.95 $6.95

-50.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.88 ₪5.69

$3.12 $3.12

-39.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 ₪5.68

$4.17 $4.17

-54.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 ₪8.11

$2.95 $2.95

-8.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₪8.05

$2.39 $2.39

11.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.87 ₪44.94

$10.14 $10.14

46.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.77 ₪50.7

$9.93 $9.93

68.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.77 ₪11.38

$2.38 $2.38

58.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 ₪14.99

$4.03 $4.03

23.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.64 ₪7.98

$2.46 $2.46

7.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 ₪311

$78.6 $78.6

30.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.37 ₪13.20

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 ₪3.35

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.30 ₪61.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.61 ₪7.90

$0.83 $0.83

214.46%

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

$58.2K ₪175.7K

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

$58.1K ₪175.4K

$28.6K $28.6K

103.20%

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

$450 ₪1,359

$180 $180

149.86%

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

$11.61 ₪35.09

$47.25 $47.25

-75.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.47 ₪110

$67.8 $67.8

-46.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$113 ₪341

$77.0 $77.0

46.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.60 ₪71.3

$21.73 $21.73

8.61%

Cinema Ticket

$16.47 ₪49.76

$15.17 $15.17

8.57%

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

$1,749 ₪5,285

$1,490 $1,490

17.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K ₪95.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$130 ₪392

$63.9 $63.9

102.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$89.2 ₪269

$33.10 $33.10

169.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$179 ₪541

$117 $117

52.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$199 ₪600

$135 $135

47.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,193 ₪6,627

$1,888 $1,888

16.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,679 ₪5,073

$1,398 $1,398

20.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,759 ₪11.4K

$2,673 $2,673

40.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,777 ₪8,390

$2,217 $2,217

25.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$20.3K ₪61.3K

$2,864 $2,864

608.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$13.3K ₪40.2K

$2,618 $2,618

408.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,134 ₪12.5K

$5,955 $5,955

-30.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.03

6.13

-17.94%

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 Cary, NC: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,193 in Tel Aviv-Yafo and $1,888 in Cary, NC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cary, NC pays 44% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $134 in Tel Aviv-Yafo vs $101 in Cary, NC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $525 vs $489 per month, with Cary, NC cheaper across the board.

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 Cary, NC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cary, NC is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 44% lower in Cary, NC. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,193 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $1,888 in Cary, NC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,749 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $1,490 in Cary, NC. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Tel Aviv-Yafo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Cary, NC is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Cary, NC is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tel Aviv-Yafo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Tel Aviv-Yafo and Cary, NC are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Cary, NC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Tel Aviv-Yafo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.