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: $2,655 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $2,323 in Lod.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,109 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $3,074 in Lod.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,563 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $3,825 in Lod.

Living in Tel Aviv-Yafo is roughly 14% more expensive than Lod, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Tel Aviv-Yafo 99% above, Lod 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.26 ₪65.0

$22.19 ₪64.8

0.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$113 ₪330

$88.9 ₪260

27.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.56 ₪48.37

$17.02 ₪49.69

-2.70%

Cappuccino

$4.22 ₪12.31

$4.00 ₪11.68

5.50%

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

$3.21 ₪9.38

$2.79 ₪8.16

15.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 ₪7.50

$2.24 ₪6.53

14.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.96 ₪26.16

$8.54 ₪24.94

4.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.31 ₪24.25

$8.58 ₪25.05

-3.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ₪6.06

$1.92 ₪5.62

7.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 ₪8.85

$2.93 ₪8.56

3.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.29 ₪9.61

$1.63 ₪4.77

101.84%

Eggs

$4.21 ₪12.30

$3.89 ₪11.35

8.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.77 ₪46.06

$13.73 ₪40.10

14.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.65 ₪36.93

$8.30 ₪24.22

52.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.72 ₪63.4

$21.76 ₪63.5

-0.18%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 ₪12.14

$2.72 ₪7.95

52.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 ₪7.43

$1.85 ₪5.41

37.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ₪6.46

$1.98 ₪5.78

11.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.40 ₪9.94

$2.03 ₪5.94

67.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 ₪5.64

$1.50 ₪4.37

28.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 ₪5.68

$1.57 ₪4.59

23.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 ₪6.61

$1.67 ₪4.89

35.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 ₪4.39

$1.56 ₪4.55

-3.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.20 ₪32.70

$10.82 ₪31.61

3.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.16 ₪50.1

$16.11 ₪47.04

6.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.11 ₪9.07

$1.99 ₪5.80

56.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 ₪9.81

$2.27 ₪6.64

48.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ₪6.50

$1.64 ₪4.79

35.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.9 ₪216

$66.4 ₪194

11.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 ₪11.66

$4.19 ₪12.23

-4.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ₪1.59

$0.54 ₪1.58

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.48 ₪97.8

$41.86 ₪122

-20.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 ₪6.07

$2.05 ₪5.98

1.46%

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

$48.4K ₪141.4K

$40.1K ₪117.0K

20.83%

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

$44.7K ₪130.7K

$46.0K ₪134.4K

-2.77%

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

$267 ₪780

$248 ₪725

7.59%

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

$10.66 ₪31.14

$12.69 ₪37.06

-16.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.28 ₪88.4

$29.25 ₪85.4

3.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.7 ₪230

$55.3 ₪161

42.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.66 ₪57.4

$17.96 ₪52.5

9.47%

Cinema Ticket

$13.16 ₪38.44

$12.43 ₪36.31

5.87%

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

$1,339 ₪3,910

$1,152 ₪3,365

16.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.9K ₪72.8K

$18.6K ₪54.2K

34.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 ₪319

$91.4 ₪267

19.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.4 ₪176

$62.2 ₪182

-2.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 ₪392

$130 ₪379

3.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 ₪444

$171 ₪499

-11.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,659 ₪4,845

$782 ₪2,285

112.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ₪3,531

$931 ₪2,718

29.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,124 ₪9,123

$1,515 ₪4,423

106.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,257 ₪6,589

$834 ₪2,436

170.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$21.8K ₪63.6K

$8,869 ₪25.9K

145.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$13.7K ₪40.1K

$7,664 ₪22.4K

79.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,368 ₪12.8K

$2,798 ₪8,170

56.13%

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: June 16, 2026

Last update for Lod: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,659 in Tel Aviv-Yafo and $782 in Lod. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tel Aviv-Yafo pays 56% 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: $113 in Tel Aviv-Yafo vs $89.0 in Lod for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $412 vs $341 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 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Tel Aviv-Yafo pays 56% 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: $1,659 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $782 in Lod. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,339 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $1,152 in Lod. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Tel Aviv-Yafo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,323 in Lod versus $2,655 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 14% less than in Tel Aviv-Yafo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.