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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,688 per month in Tel Aviv-Yafo vs $2,282 in Skien, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,144 per month in Tel Aviv-Yafo vs $3,202 in Skien, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,599 per month in Tel Aviv-Yafo vs $4,122 in Skien, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.14 ₪63.0

$28.96 NOK 269

-23.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$115 ₪327

$101 NOK 935

14.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.84 ₪47.94

$13.26 NOK 123

27.00%

Cappuccino

$4.22 ₪12.01

$4.88 NOK 45.35

-13.52%

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

$3.21 ₪9.15

$2.47 NOK 22.94

29.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 ₪7.13

$2.19 NOK 20.38

14.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.12 ₪25.96

$9.05 NOK 84.0

0.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.29 ₪23.61

$9.67 NOK 89.8

-14.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 ₪5.66

$2.02 NOK 18.73

-1.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.95 ₪8.40

$3.30 NOK 30.67

-10.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.27 ₪9.32

$3.15 NOK 29.30

3.81%

Eggs

$4.25 ₪12.11

$4.20 NOK 39.01

1.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.80 ₪44.97

$11.36 NOK 106

39.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.39 ₪35.27

$14.22 NOK 132

-12.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.36 ₪60.8

$25.44 NOK 236

-16.04%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 ₪11.64

$3.76 NOK 34.89

8.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 ₪7.15

$2.32 NOK 21.55

8.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ₪6.60

$3.30 NOK 30.63

-29.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.24 ₪9.23

$4.02 NOK 37.36

-19.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 ₪5.27

$2.29 NOK 21.26

-19.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 ₪5.45

$2.16 NOK 20.07

-11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.15 ₪6.12

$2.94 NOK 27.36

-26.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 ₪4.24

$1.89 NOK 17.55

-21.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.45 ₪32.61

$18.86 NOK 175

-39.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.91 ₪51.0

$15.87 NOK 147

12.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 ₪8.92

$3.33 NOK 30.97

-6.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 ₪9.94

$3.95 NOK 36.67

-11.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.30 ₪6.55

$2.69 NOK 25.02

-14.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.3 ₪203

$44.33 NOK 412

60.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.01 ₪11.42

$36.08 NOK 335

-88.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₪1.65

$1.46 NOK 13.57

-60.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.27 ₪97.6

$99.7 NOK 926

-65.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 ₪5.84

$2.09 NOK 19.41

-1.91%

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

$48.2K ₪137.2K

$25.7K NOK 238.9K

87.29%

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

$45.0K ₪128.0K

$35.8K NOK 332.2K

25.70%

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

$270 ₪770

$96.6 NOK 897

179.94%

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

$10.89 ₪31.02

$37.34 NOK 347

-70.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.26 ₪86.2

$38.51 NOK 358

-21.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.6 ₪224

$38.00 NOK 353

106.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 ₪54.5

$34.76 NOK 323

-44.91%

Cinema Ticket

$13.29 ₪37.84

$14.39 NOK 134

-7.64%

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

$1,291 ₪3,677

$312 NOK 2,900

313.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.4K ₪72.2K

$10.1K NOK 93.9K

150.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 ₪316

$40.85 NOK 380

171.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.8 ₪173

$35.21 NOK 327

72.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 ₪381

$92.8 NOK 862

44.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 ₪423

$153 NOK 1,421

-2.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,655 ₪4,712

$961 NOK 8,931

72.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 ₪3,376

$1,000 NOK 9,291

18.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,086 ₪8,786

$1,101 NOK 10.2K

180.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,287 ₪6,513

$902 NOK 8,381

153.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$22.4K ₪63.7K

$3,561 NOK 33.1K

528.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.6K ₪41.5K

$3,271 NOK 30.4K

345.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,472 ₪12.7K

$4,269 NOK 39.7K

4.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.46

3.8

43.68%

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 Skien: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,655 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $961 in Skien. 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 5% 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 $101 in Skien. Groceries tell a different story – $408 in Tel Aviv-Yafo vs $432 in Skien – so Tel Aviv-Yafo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Skien: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tel Aviv-Yafo is pricier by about 18%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,032 per month in Tel Aviv-Yafo and $3,422 in Skien. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $115 in Tel Aviv-Yafo and $101 in Skien. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,688 in Tel Aviv-Yafo and $2,282 in Skien. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Skien, where all-in costs run around $2,282, than in Tel Aviv-Yafo at $2,688. In Skien it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tel Aviv-Yafo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Skien – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Skien. 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.