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 $3,749 per month in Tel Aviv-Yafo vs $2,357 in Skien, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,532 per month in Tel Aviv-Yafo vs $3,341 in Skien, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,315 per month in Tel Aviv-Yafo vs $4,326 in Skien, rent included.

Tel Aviv-Yafo costs about 59% more than Skien, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tel Aviv-Yafo and Skien sit above the global median – Tel Aviv-Yafo by 173%, Skien by 72%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.71 ₪80.3

$21.53 NOK 200

24.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$133 ₪401

$106 NOK 989

25.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$21.36 ₪64.2

$15.84 NOK 147

34.85%

Cappuccino

$5.71 ₪17.15

$5.47 NOK 50.8

4.39%

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

$4.04 ₪12.15

$4.23 NOK 39.25

-4.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 ₪9.90

$3.20 NOK 29.70

2.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.20 ₪33.64

$12.01 NOK 112

-6.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.40 ₪34.27

$12.63 NOK 117

-9.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.64 ₪7.92

$2.07 NOK 19.24

27.54%

White Bread (500g)

$4.60 ₪13.82

$3.95 NOK 36.69

16.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.96 ₪11.90

$4.67 NOK 43.37

-15.20%

Eggs

$5.30 ₪15.92

$5.80 NOK 53.8

-8.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.20 ₪66.7

$13.58 NOK 126

63.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.60 ₪49.88

$15.54 NOK 144

6.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.50 ₪76.6

$22.90 NOK 213

11.35%

Apples (1kg)

$4.65 ₪13.98

$3.40 NOK 31.61

36.76%

Banana (1kg)

$3.91 ₪11.76

$2.76 NOK 25.60

41.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.56 ₪7.70

$3.46 NOK 32.11

-26.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.41 ₪10.24

$6.05 NOK 56.2

-43.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 ₪5.74

$2.38 NOK 22.06

-19.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 ₪5.64

$2.99 NOK 27.75

-37.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 ₪8.41

$3.06 NOK 28.42

-8.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 ₪8.36

$2.45 NOK 22.78

13.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.26 ₪45.84

$19.12 NOK 177

-20.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.57 ₪49.79

$16.30 NOK 151

1.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 ₪11.64

$3.52 NOK 32.67

9.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 ₪15.11

$4.44 NOK 41.20

13.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.63 ₪7.90

$3.47 NOK 32.20

-24.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 ₪319

$48.24 NOK 448

120.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 ₪13.40

$11.14 NOK 103

-59.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 ₪3.42

$1.91 NOK 17.75

-40.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.23 ₪60.8

$72.6 NOK 674

-72.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.64 ₪7.92

$2.25 NOK 20.89

17.33%

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

$56.8K ₪170.6K

$48.5K NOK 450.7K

16.95%

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

$57.5K ₪172.9K

$43.9K NOK 407.8K

30.98%

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

$464 ₪1,394

$97.8 NOK 908

374.39%

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

$11.77 ₪35.35

$33.45 NOK 311

-64.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.38 ₪109

$58.5 NOK 543

-37.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$115 ₪344

$41.06 NOK 381

178.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.03 ₪69.2

Cinema Ticket

$16.13 ₪48.46

$15.30 NOK 142

5.42%

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

$1,741 ₪5,231

$244 NOK 2,266

613.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.2K ₪96.8K

$16.0K NOK 148.8K

101.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$129 ₪389

$63.0 NOK 585

105.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$90.0 ₪270

$60.9 NOK 565

47.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$177 ₪531

$90.7 NOK 842

94.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$206 ₪619

$161 NOK 1,495

27.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,211 ₪6,644

$1,080 NOK 10.0K

104.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,648 ₪4,952

$987 NOK 9,168

66.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,788 ₪11.4K

$1,050 NOK 9,751

260.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,803 ₪8,421

$971 NOK 9,017

188.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$20.2K ₪60.7K

$3,603 NOK 33.5K

461.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$13.3K ₪40.1K

$3,179 NOK 29.5K

319.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,262 ₪12.8K

$4,293 NOK 39.9K

-0.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.03

4.37

15.10%

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 Skien: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,211 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $1,080 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 1% higher in Skien, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $133 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $106 in Skien. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $526 vs $481 – making Skien 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 Skien: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tel Aviv-Yafo is pricier by about 59%, 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 $5,624 per month in Tel Aviv-Yafo and $3,536 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 $133 in Tel Aviv-Yafo and $106 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 $3,749 in Tel Aviv-Yafo and $2,357 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 $2,357, than in Tel Aviv-Yafo at $3,749. 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.