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: $3,611 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $2,768 in Lod.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,346 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $4,182 in Lod.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,082 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $5,596 in Lod.

Living in Tel Aviv-Yafo is roughly 30% more expensive than in Lod, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Tel Aviv-Yafo 162% above, Lod 101% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.81 ₪81.2

$23.79 ₪72.1

12.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$134 ₪407

$101 ₪305

33.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$21.94 ₪66.5

$19.83 ₪60.1

10.64%

Cappuccino

$5.56 ₪16.84

$5.10 ₪15.47

9.02%

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

$4.09 ₪12.39

$3.68 ₪11.16

11.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 ₪9.54

$2.85 ₪8.64

10.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.24 ₪34.07

$8.12 ₪24.61

38.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.34 ₪34.38

$10.47 ₪31.73

8.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.59 ₪7.84

$2.40 ₪7.26

7.92%

White Bread (500g)

$4.72 ₪14.30

$3.30 ₪10.01

43.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.85 ₪11.67

$3.64 ₪11.01

5.77%

Eggs

$5.44 ₪16.49

$4.80 ₪14.55

13.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.64 ₪65.6

$17.41 ₪52.8

24.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.98 ₪51.4

$14.80 ₪44.86

14.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.60 ₪77.6

$25.46 ₪77.2

0.55%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 ₪14.20

$4.55 ₪13.79

3.08%

Banana (1kg)

$3.85 ₪11.65

$3.38 ₪10.23

13.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 ₪7.50

$2.50 ₪7.57

-1.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.44 ₪10.44

$2.38 ₪7.22

44.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.88 ₪5.70

$1.89 ₪5.73

-0.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 ₪5.70

$1.69 ₪5.13

11.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 ₪8.14

$2.02 ₪6.13

33.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₪8.08

$1.94 ₪5.89

37.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.87 ₪45.07

$13.58 ₪41.15

9.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.77 ₪50.8

$15.70 ₪47.57

6.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.77 ₪11.41

$3.86 ₪11.71

-2.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 ₪15.04

$5.03 ₪15.23

-1.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.64 ₪8.00

$2.78 ₪8.42

-5.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 ₪311

$79.9 ₪242

28.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.37 ₪13.24

$4.07 ₪12.33

7.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 ₪3.36

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.30 ₪61.5

$19.80 ₪60.0

2.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.61 ₪7.92

$2.71 ₪8.22

-3.69%

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

$58.2K ₪176.3K

$57.7K ₪175.0K

0.73%

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

$58.1K ₪175.9K

$60.6K ₪183.6K

-4.19%

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

$450 ₪1,363

$298 ₪903

50.92%

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

$11.61 ₪35.19

$11.62 ₪35.22

-0.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.47 ₪111

$35.51 ₪108

2.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$113 ₪342

$83.3 ₪252

35.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.60 ₪71.5

Cinema Ticket

$16.47 ₪49.91

$15.23 ₪46.14

8.14%

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

$1,749 ₪5,301

$1,469 ₪4,450

19.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K ₪95.8K

$29.5K ₪89.3K

7.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$130 ₪393

$117 ₪355

10.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$89.2 ₪270

$78.1 ₪237

14.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$179 ₪543

$152 ₪460

18.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$199 ₪602

$162 ₪492

22.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,193 ₪6,647

$1,655 ₪5,016

32.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,679 ₪5,088

$1,140 ₪3,454

47.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,759 ₪11.4K

$2,408 ₪7,296

56.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,777 ₪8,414

$2,087 ₪6,323

33.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$20.3K ₪61.5K

$8,438 ₪25.6K

140.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$13.3K ₪40.3K

$8,500 ₪25.8K

56.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,134 ₪12.5K

$2,695 ₪8,165

53.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.03

4.99

0.80%

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 Lod: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,193 in Tel Aviv-Yafo and $1,655 in Lod. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tel Aviv-Yafo pays 53% 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: $134 in Tel Aviv-Yafo vs $101 in Lod for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $525 vs $460 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, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 53% higher in Tel Aviv-Yafo, 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: $2,193 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $1,655 in Lod. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,749 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $1,469 in Lod. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% 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. Lod is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 30% less than in Tel Aviv-Yafo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.