Cost of Living Comparison Between Tel Aviv-Yafo and Lod Cost of Living Comparison Between Tel Aviv-Yafo and Lod

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,729 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $2,305 in Lod.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,220 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $3,098 in Lod.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,712 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $3,891 in Lod.

Living in Tel Aviv-Yafo is roughly 18% more expensive than Lod, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Tel Aviv-Yafo 104% above, Lod 72% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.38 ₪66.7

$21.61 ₪64.4

3.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$114 ₪340

$88.1 ₪262

29.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.21 ₪51.3

$16.65 ₪49.63

3.36%

Cappuccino

$4.23 ₪12.61

$3.90 ₪11.63

8.46%

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

$3.10 ₪9.25

$2.76 ₪8.22

12.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 ₪7.74

$2.19 ₪6.53

18.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.27 ₪27.61

$8.59 ₪25.60

7.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.64 ₪25.74

$8.35 ₪24.88

3.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ₪5.97

$1.93 ₪5.75

3.63%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 ₪9.18

$2.94 ₪8.77

4.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 ₪9.87

$1.70 ₪5.08

94.71%

Eggs

$4.23 ₪12.61

$3.99 ₪11.88

6.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.83 ₪47.18

$13.75 ₪40.98

15.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.29 ₪36.61

$8.20 ₪24.43

49.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.64 ₪64.5

$21.60 ₪64.4

0.19%

Apples (1kg)

$4.10 ₪12.22

$2.87 ₪8.57

42.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 ₪7.50

$1.84 ₪5.47

36.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ₪6.83

$1.96 ₪5.85

16.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.36 ₪10.01

$2.04 ₪6.07

64.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 ₪5.55

$1.49 ₪4.45

24.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 ₪5.80

$1.64 ₪4.88

18.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.15 ₪6.41

$1.63 ₪4.85

31.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 ₪4.33

$1.58 ₪4.72

-8.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.36 ₪33.86

$11.02 ₪32.84

3.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.67 ₪49.68

$16.50 ₪49.17

1.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 ₪8.85

$1.96 ₪5.83

51.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 ₪10.20

$2.18 ₪6.51

56.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.31 ₪6.89

$1.65 ₪4.91

40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.8 ₪217

$66.5 ₪198

9.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.02 ₪11.99

$4.18 ₪12.45

-3.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 ₪1.64

$0.57 ₪1.70

-3.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.30 ₪99.2

$41.78 ₪125

-20.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 ₪6.14

$2.03 ₪6.06

1.48%

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

$46.9K ₪139.9K

$40.6K ₪121.0K

15.60%

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

$45.8K ₪136.3K

$47.7K ₪142.1K

-4.05%

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

$267 ₪796

$250 ₪744

7.00%

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

$10.74 ₪31.99

$12.36 ₪36.84

-13.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.03 ₪92.5

$28.95 ₪86.3

7.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.8 ₪229

$55.3 ₪165

38.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.75 ₪58.9

$18.27 ₪54.5

8.10%

Cinema Ticket

$13.14 ₪39.15

$12.33 ₪36.74

6.57%

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

$1,292 ₪3,851

$1,164 ₪3,470

10.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.1K ₪74.7K

$18.2K ₪54.2K

37.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 ₪326

$90.9 ₪271

20.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.2 ₪182

$63.2 ₪188

-3.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 ₪397

$130 ₪388

2.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 ₪440

$173 ₪517

-14.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,663 ₪4,956

$785 ₪2,340

111.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 ₪3,560

$916 ₪2,730

30.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,093 ₪9,218

$1,499 ₪4,466

106.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,283 ₪6,802

$855 ₪2,547

167.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$22.6K ₪67.5K

$7,687 ₪22.9K

194.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.9K ₪44.3K

$8,369 ₪24.9K

77.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,289 ₪12.8K

$3,395 ₪10.1K

26.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.46

3.89

40.36%

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

Last update for Tel Aviv-Yafo: April 26, 2026

Last update for Lod: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,663 in Tel Aviv-Yafo and $785 in Lod. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tel Aviv-Yafo pays 26% 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: $114 in Tel Aviv-Yafo vs $88.0 in Lod for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $407 vs $342 per month, with Lod 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 Lod: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lod is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Tel Aviv-Yafo pays 26% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,663 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $785 in Lod. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,292 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $1,164 in Lod. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Tel Aviv-Yafo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,305 in Lod versus $2,729 in Tel Aviv-Yafo, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Lod but tight or insufficient in Tel Aviv-Yafo. The gap between the two cities makes Lod the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Lod 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 Lod 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 Lod gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Tel Aviv-Yafo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.