Cost of Living Comparison Between Tel Aviv-Yafo and Migdal HaEmek Cost of Living Comparison Between Tel Aviv-Yafo and Migdal HaEmek

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,688 per month in Tel Aviv-Yafo vs $2,278 in Migdal HaEmek, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,144 per month in Tel Aviv-Yafo vs $3,343 in Migdal HaEmek, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,599 per month in Tel Aviv-Yafo vs $4,409 in Migdal HaEmek, rent included.

Tel Aviv-Yafo costs about 18% more than Migdal HaEmek, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tel Aviv-Yafo and Migdal HaEmek sit above the global median – Tel Aviv-Yafo by 101%, Migdal HaEmek by 70%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.14 ₪63.0

$21.52 ₪61.3

2.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$115 ₪327

$82.9 ₪236

38.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.84 ₪47.94

$15.72 ₪44.77

7.12%

Cappuccino

$4.22 ₪12.01

$4.34 ₪12.36

-2.76%

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

$3.21 ₪9.15

$2.94 ₪8.37

9.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 ₪7.13

$2.27 ₪6.47

10.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.12 ₪25.96

$8.43 ₪24.01

8.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.29 ₪23.61

$8.24 ₪23.46

0.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 ₪5.66

$1.95 ₪5.57

2.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.95 ₪8.40

$2.62 ₪7.45

12.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.27 ₪9.32

$2.85 ₪8.12

14.74%

Eggs

$4.25 ₪12.11

$4.11 ₪11.69

3.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.80 ₪44.97

$17.22 ₪49.04

-8.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.39 ₪35.27

$10.60 ₪30.19

16.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.36 ₪60.8

$21.76 ₪62.0

-1.84%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 ₪11.64

$4.92 ₪14.02

-16.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 ₪7.15

$2.43 ₪6.93

3.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ₪6.60

$2.34 ₪6.67

-0.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.24 ₪9.23

$2.23 ₪6.34

45.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 ₪5.27

$2.12 ₪6.03

-12.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 ₪5.45

$1.51 ₪4.29

27.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.15 ₪6.12

$1.94 ₪5.51

10.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 ₪4.24

$1.71 ₪4.87

-12.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.45 ₪32.61

$10.81 ₪30.79

5.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.91 ₪51.0

$16.91 ₪48.15

5.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 ₪8.92

$2.83 ₪8.04

10.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 ₪9.94

$3.57 ₪10.15

-2.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.30 ₪6.55

$1.52 ₪4.34

51.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.3 ₪203

$64.9 ₪185

9.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.01 ₪11.42

$4.19 ₪11.94

-4.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₪1.65

$0.82 ₪2.33

-29.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.27 ₪97.6

$32.22 ₪91.7

6.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 ₪5.84

$2.10 ₪5.97

-2.38%

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

$48.2K ₪137.2K

$45.1K ₪128.4K

6.86%

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

$45.0K ₪128.0K

$46.5K ₪132.5K

-3.40%

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

$270 ₪770

$236 ₪673

14.45%

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

$10.89 ₪31.02

$12.49 ₪35.56

-12.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.26 ₪86.2

$29.55 ₪84.1

2.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.6 ₪224

$49.94 ₪142

57.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 ₪54.5

$18.63 ₪53.1

2.79%

Cinema Ticket

$13.29 ₪37.84

$12.57 ₪35.78

5.73%

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

$1,291 ₪3,677

$1,065 ₪3,033

21.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.4K ₪72.2K

$3,935 ₪11.2K

544.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 ₪316

$89.3 ₪254

24.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.8 ₪173

$56.8 ₪162

6.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 ₪381

$116 ₪331

15.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 ₪423

$108 ₪307

37.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,655 ₪4,712

$1,039 ₪2,959

59.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 ₪3,376

$915 ₪2,604

29.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,086 ₪8,786

$1,501 ₪4,274

105.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,287 ₪6,513

$1,404 ₪3,999

62.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$22.4K ₪63.7K

$10.4K ₪29.5K

115.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.6K ₪41.5K

$8,145 ₪23.2K

78.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,472 ₪12.7K

$2,273 ₪6,472

96.77%

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 2, 2026

Last update for Migdal HaEmek: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,655 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $1,039 in Migdal HaEmek. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 97% higher in Tel Aviv-Yafo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $115 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $83.0 in Migdal HaEmek. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $408 vs $396 – making Migdal HaEmek the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Migdal HaEmek: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tel Aviv-Yafo costs about 18% more than Migdal HaEmek, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,032 per month in Tel Aviv-Yafo and $3,416 in Migdal HaEmek. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Migdal HaEmek, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 10% less in Migdal HaEmek. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,291 per month in Tel Aviv-Yafo and $1,065 in Migdal HaEmek. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Migdal HaEmek, where all-in costs run around $2,278, than in Tel Aviv-Yafo at $2,688. In Migdal HaEmek it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tel Aviv-Yafo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Migdal HaEmek costs $2,278 versus $2,688 in Tel Aviv-Yafo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Migdal HaEmek. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tel Aviv-Yafo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.