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: $2,688 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $2,940 in Cary, NC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,144 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $4,386 in Cary, NC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,599 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $5,833 in Cary, NC.

Living in Tel Aviv-Yafo costs roughly 9% less than in Cary, NC, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Tel Aviv-Yafo 101% above, Cary, NC 119% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.14 ₪63.6

$17.88 $17.88

23.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$115 ₪330

$97.0 $97.0

18.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.84 ₪48.34

$10.43 $10.43

61.46%

Cappuccino

$4.22 ₪12.11

$4.96 $4.96

-14.92%

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

$3.21 ₪9.23

$2.00 $2.00

60.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 ₪7.19

$1.87 $1.87

33.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.12 ₪26.18

$5.09 $5.09

79.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.29 ₪23.81

$6.69 $6.69

23.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 ₪5.71

$1.11 $1.11

79.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.95 ₪8.47

$5.47 $5.47

-46.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.27 ₪9.40

$6.28 $6.28

-47.93%

Eggs

$4.25 ₪12.21

$4.75 $4.75

-10.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.80 ₪45.35

$20.23 $20.23

-21.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.39 ₪35.57

$12.51 $12.51

-0.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.36 ₪61.3

$17.92 $17.92

19.20%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 ₪11.74

$5.52 $5.52

-25.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 ₪7.21

$1.77 $1.77

41.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ₪6.66

$4.16 $4.16

-44.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.24 ₪9.31

$6.67 $6.67

-51.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 ₪5.31

$2.50 $2.50

-26.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 ₪5.50

$3.45 $3.45

-44.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.15 ₪6.17

$2.95 $2.95

-27.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 ₪4.28

$1.98 $1.98

-24.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.45 ₪32.88

$9.36 $9.36

22.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.91 ₪51.4

$9.83 $9.83

82.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 ₪9.00

$2.41 $2.41

29.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 ₪10.03

$4.86 $4.86

-28.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.30 ₪6.61

$1.81 $1.81

27.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.3 ₪205

$59.5 $59.5

19.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.01 ₪11.51

$3.54 $3.54

13.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₪1.67

$1.59 $1.59

-63.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.27 ₪98.4

$28.81 $28.81

18.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 ₪5.89

$0.80 $0.80

156.25%

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

$48.2K ₪138.3K

$29.3K $29.3K

64.47%

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

$45.0K ₪129.1K

$29.2K $29.2K

54.17%

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

$270 ₪776

$169 $169

59.99%

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

$10.89 ₪31.27

$50.3 $50.3

-78.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.26 ₪86.9

$62.5 $62.5

-51.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.6 ₪226

$75.3 $75.3

4.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 ₪55.0

Cinema Ticket

$13.29 ₪38.16

$13.58 $13.58

-2.14%

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

$1,291 ₪3,707

$1,491 $1,491

-13.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.4K ₪72.8K

$23.5K $23.5K

8.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 ₪318

$48.21 $48.21

129.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.8 ₪175

$31.94 $31.94

90.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 ₪384

$128 $128

4.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 ₪426

$136 $136

9.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,655 ₪4,751

$1,765 $1,765

-6.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 ₪3,404

$1,581 $1,581

-24.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,086 ₪8,859

$2,668 $2,668

15.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,287 ₪6,567

$2,748 $2,748

-16.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$22.4K ₪64.3K

$2,862 $2,862

681.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.6K ₪41.8K

$2,652 $2,652

449.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,472 ₪12.8K

$5,996 $5,996

-25.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.46

6.31

-13.47%

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 Cary, NC: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,655 in Tel Aviv-Yafo and $1,765 in Cary, NC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cary, NC pays 34% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $115 in Tel Aviv-Yafo vs $97.0 in Cary, NC. Groceries flip the comparison at $408 vs $467, with Tel Aviv-Yafo cheaper for home cooking.

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

Tel Aviv-Yafo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cary, NC earns 34% less. 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: $1,655 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $1,765 in Cary, NC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,291 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $1,491 in Cary, NC. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Cary, NC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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

For families, Tel Aviv-Yafo is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cary, NC, 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 Tel Aviv-Yafo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Cary, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.