Cost of Living Comparison Between Tel Aviv-Yafo and Rishon Leziyyon Cost of Living Comparison Between Tel Aviv-Yafo and Rishon Leziyyon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,611 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $3,030 in Rishon Leziyyon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,346 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $4,206 in Rishon Leziyyon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,082 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $5,382 in Rishon Leziyyon.

Living in Tel Aviv-Yafo is roughly 19% more expensive than in Rishon Leziyyon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Tel Aviv-Yafo 162% above, Rishon Leziyyon 120% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.81 ₪81.2

$29.37 ₪89.0

-8.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$134 ₪407

$98.3 ₪298

36.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$21.94 ₪66.5

$17.35 ₪52.6

26.46%

Cappuccino

$5.56 ₪16.84

$5.17 ₪15.66

7.54%

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

$4.09 ₪12.39

$3.02 ₪9.17

35.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 ₪9.54

$2.02 ₪6.11

55.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.24 ₪34.07

$9.72 ₪29.46

15.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.34 ₪34.38

$6.48 ₪19.64

75.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.59 ₪7.84

$2.54 ₪7.71

1.97%

White Bread (500g)

$4.72 ₪14.30

$2.85 ₪8.65

65.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.85 ₪11.67

$2.25 ₪6.83

71.11%

Eggs

$5.44 ₪16.49

$4.73 ₪14.32

15.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.64 ₪65.6

$8.08 ₪24.49

167.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.98 ₪51.4

$11.90 ₪36.05

42.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.60 ₪77.6

$16.88 ₪51.2

51.66%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 ₪14.20

$3.34 ₪10.12

40.42%

Banana (1kg)

$3.85 ₪11.65

$2.97 ₪9.01

29.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 ₪7.50

$1.86 ₪5.64

32.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.44 ₪10.44

$2.62 ₪7.93

31.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.88 ₪5.70

$1.79 ₪5.42

5.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 ₪5.70

$1.46 ₪4.42

28.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 ₪8.14

$1.95 ₪5.89

37.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₪8.08

$1.02 ₪3.10

160.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.87 ₪45.07

$14.11 ₪42.77

5.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.77 ₪50.8

$8.82 ₪26.74

90.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.77 ₪11.41

$3.26 ₪9.87

15.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 ₪15.04

$3.91 ₪11.84

26.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.64 ₪8.00

$2.69 ₪8.16

-1.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 ₪311

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.37 ₪13.24

$2.63 ₪7.96

66.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 ₪3.36

$1.31 ₪3.97

-15.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.30 ₪61.5

$40.70 ₪123

-50.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.61 ₪7.92

$2.66 ₪8.05

-1.88%

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

$58.2K ₪176.3K

$57.6K ₪174.6K

0.95%

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

$58.1K ₪175.9K

$58.6K ₪177.6K

-0.92%

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

$450 ₪1,363

$294 ₪890

53.17%

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

$11.61 ₪35.19

$11.45 ₪34.69

1.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.47 ₪111

$50.3 ₪152

-27.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$113 ₪342

$54.2 ₪164

108.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.60 ₪71.5

$19.56 ₪59.3

20.65%

Cinema Ticket

$16.47 ₪49.91

$13.16 ₪39.89

25.15%

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

$1,749 ₪5,301

$1,183 ₪3,584

47.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K ₪95.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$130 ₪393

$40.26 ₪122

222.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$89.2 ₪270

$42.50 ₪129

109.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$179 ₪543

$93.7 ₪284

91.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$199 ₪602

$117 ₪356

69.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,193 ₪6,647

$1,897 ₪5,748

15.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,679 ₪5,088

$1,730 ₪5,244

-2.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,759 ₪11.4K

$2,542 ₪7,704

47.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,777 ₪8,414

$2,302 ₪6,975

20.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$20.3K ₪61.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$13.3K ₪40.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,134 ₪12.5K

$3,212 ₪9,732

28.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.03

5.07

-0.79%

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 Rishon Leziyyon: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,193 in Tel Aviv-Yafo and $1,897 in Rishon Leziyyon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tel Aviv-Yafo pays 29% 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 $98.0 in Rishon Leziyyon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $525 vs $341 per month, with Rishon Leziyyon 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 Rishon Leziyyon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rishon Leziyyon wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Tel Aviv-Yafo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Rishon Leziyyon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 29% 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 $1,897 in Rishon Leziyyon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 54% higher in Tel Aviv-Yafo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,611 per month in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $3,030 in Rishon Leziyyon – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Rishon Leziyyon is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Rishon Leziyyon delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,030 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Rishon Leziyyon hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Tel Aviv-Yafo and Rishon Leziyyon 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 Rishon Leziyyon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Tel Aviv-Yafo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.