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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,749 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $2,516 in Queenstown.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,532 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $4,022 in Queenstown.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,315 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $5,528 in Queenstown.

Living in Tel Aviv-Yafo is roughly 49% more expensive than in Queenstown, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Tel Aviv-Yafo 173% above, Queenstown 83% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.71 ₪80.4

$15.08 NZ$25.63

77.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$133 ₪402

$64.0 NZ$109

108.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$21.36 ₪64.3

$9.55 NZ$16.23

123.66%

Cappuccino

$5.71 ₪17.17

$3.46 NZ$5.88

65.03%

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

$4.04 ₪12.17

$2.20 NZ$3.75

83.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 ₪9.91

$2.13 NZ$3.62

54.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.20 ₪33.69

$6.96 NZ$11.83

60.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.40 ₪34.32

$6.68 NZ$11.36

70.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.64 ₪7.93

$2.29 NZ$3.89

15.28%

White Bread (500g)

$4.60 ₪13.85

$2.12 NZ$3.60

116.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.96 ₪11.92

$1.80 NZ$3.07

120.00%

Eggs

$5.30 ₪15.94

$6.18 NZ$10.51

-14.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.20 ₪66.8

$8.71 NZ$14.81

154.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.60 ₪49.96

$10.36 NZ$17.60

60.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.50 ₪76.7

$16.59 NZ$28.21

53.71%

Apples (1kg)

$4.65 ₪14.01

$3.16 NZ$5.36

47.15%

Banana (1kg)

$3.91 ₪11.77

$2.41 NZ$4.10

62.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.56 ₪7.71

$3.88 NZ$6.60

-34.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.41 ₪10.25

$5.86 NZ$9.96

-41.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 ₪5.75

$3.67 NZ$6.23

-47.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 ₪5.65

$1.94 NZ$3.29

-3.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 ₪8.42

$2.50 NZ$4.26

12.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 ₪8.37

$2.05 NZ$3.49

35.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.26 ₪45.92

$28.11 NZ$47.78

-45.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.57 ₪49.87

$9.39 NZ$15.95

76.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 ₪11.66

$4.57 NZ$7.76

-15.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 ₪15.13

$6.70 NZ$11.39

-24.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.63 ₪7.91

$1.50 NZ$2.55

75.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 ₪320

$130 NZ$221

-18.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 ₪13.42

$2.80 NZ$4.76

59.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 ₪3.42

$1.99 NZ$3.38

-42.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.23 ₪60.9

$30.63 NZ$52.1

-33.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.64 ₪7.93

$1.76 NZ$2.99

50.00%

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

$56.8K ₪170.9K

$26.3K NZ$44.8K

115.63%

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

$57.5K ₪173.2K

$24.1K NZ$40.9K

139.10%

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

$464 ₪1,396

$118 NZ$200

293.91%

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

$11.77 ₪35.41

$30.43 NZ$51.7

-61.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.38 ₪109

$54.9 NZ$93.3

-33.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$115 ₪345

$59.2 NZ$101

93.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.03 ₪69.3

$28.09 NZ$47.75

-18.01%

Cinema Ticket

$16.13 ₪48.54

$10.73 NZ$18.24

50.33%

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

$1,741 ₪5,239

$1,022 NZ$1,737

70.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.2K ₪97.0K

$7,916 NZ$13.5K

307.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$129 ₪389

$60.9 NZ$104

112.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$90.0 ₪271

$47.65 NZ$81.0

88.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$177 ₪532

$97.0 NZ$165

82.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$206 ₪620

$143 NZ$243

43.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,211 ₪6,655

$1,558 NZ$2,649

41.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,648 ₪4,960

$1,327 NZ$2,256

24.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,788 ₪11.4K

$3,052 NZ$5,188

24.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,803 ₪8,434

$2,661 NZ$4,523

5.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$20.2K ₪60.8K

$7,979 NZ$13.6K

153.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$13.3K ₪40.2K

$5,433 NZ$9,236

145.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,262 ₪12.8K

$3,248 NZ$5,522

31.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.03

6.12

-17.81%

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

Last update for Tel Aviv-Yafo: August 31, 2026

Last update for Queenstown: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,211 in Tel Aviv-Yafo and $1,558 in Queenstown. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tel Aviv-Yafo pays 31% 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: $133 in Tel Aviv-Yafo vs $64.0 in Queenstown for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $526 vs $383 per month, with Queenstown 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 Queenstown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Queenstown is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 49% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 31% 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: $2,211 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $1,558 in Queenstown. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Queenstown – a meal for two runs $64.0 versus $133 in Tel Aviv-Yafo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,749 per month in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $2,516 in Queenstown – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

For families, Queenstown 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 Queenstown 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 Queenstown gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Tel Aviv-Yafo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.