Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Israel Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Israel

Name: Israel
Address: IL

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,643 per month in United States vs $2,248 in Israel, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,857 per month in United States vs $3,330 in Israel, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,070 per month in United States vs $4,412 in Israel, rent included.

United States costs about 18% more than Israel on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both United States and Israel are pricier than the global median – United States by 97%, Israel by 68%.

United States has a wider regional cost range ($1,343–$5,081) than Israel ($1,813–$2,739), so location matters more when choosing where to live in United States.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.04 $20.04

$21.37 ₪60.9

-6.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 $76.0

$83.2 ₪237

-8.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 $11.42

$15.88 ₪45.21

-28.09%

Cappuccino

$5.39 $5.39

$4.13 ₪11.76

30.51%

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

$2.55 $2.55

$2.94 ₪8.37

-13.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.35 ₪6.70

-13.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.14 $6.14

$8.75 ₪24.91

-29.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 $7.18

$8.43 ₪24.00

-14.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.94 ₪5.51

-46.39%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 $3.65

$2.53 ₪7.22

44.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$2.91 ₪8.28

62.54%

Eggs

$4.38 $4.38

$4.19 ₪11.93

4.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 $12.76

$15.46 ₪44.01

-17.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.42 $12.42

$10.95 ₪31.18

13.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.41 $16.41

$19.53 ₪55.6

-15.98%

Apples (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$3.50 ₪9.98

54.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.29 ₪6.52

-27.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$1.93 ₪5.50

137.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$2.27 ₪6.45

116.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.58 ₪4.50

84.81%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.62 ₪4.60

93.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.98 ₪5.64

14.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$1.44 ₪4.09

59.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.89 $9.89

$10.65 ₪30.31

-7.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.10 $15.10

$16.54 ₪47.10

-8.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.65 ₪7.55

-27.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 $3.66

$3.33 ₪9.49

9.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.74 ₪4.95

42.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.8 $64.8

$67.3 ₪191

-3.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 $3.84

$4.78 ₪13.60

-19.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

$0.87 ₪2.49

102.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.58 $30.58

$31.43 ₪89.5

-2.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.99 ₪5.67

-51.76%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$45.6K ₪129.8K

-33.13%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$43.7K ₪124.4K

-39.64%

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

$204 $204

$245 ₪697

-16.62%

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

$57.3 $57.3

$11.32 ₪32.22

405.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$29.35 ₪83.6

142.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.67 $46.67

$67.6 ₪192

-30.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.12 $22.12

$20.35 ₪57.9

8.70%

Cinema Ticket

$13.84 $13.84

$12.54 ₪35.71

10.37%

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

$1,384 $1,384

$1,067 ₪3,039

29.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.7K $22.7K

$13.4K ₪38.2K

69.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 $53.0

$92.2 ₪262

-42.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.17 $43.17

$58.5 ₪166

-26.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 $90.6

$120 ₪341

-24.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$129 ₪368

-11.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,766 $1,766

$1,226 ₪3,492

44.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,459 $1,459

$979 ₪2,786

49.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,832 $2,832

$1,835 ₪5,225

54.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,411 $2,411

$1,600 ₪4,557

50.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,287 $3,287

$11.4K ₪32.6K

-71.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$7,559 ₪21.5K

-64.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,379 $4,379

$4,142 ₪11.8K

5.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

4.95

31.52%

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

Last update for United States: May 30, 2026

Last update for Israel: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,637 in United States vs $1,056 in Israel. For reference, capital cities sit at $2,591 in Washington, DC and $1,551 in Jerusalem.

Average salary: $4,500 in United States vs $4,095 in Israel. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 55% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 14% more in Israel.

Public transport is 148% more expensive in Israel.

Salaries are 10% higher in United States, giving Israel stronger purchasing power.

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

United States vs Israel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Israel is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 41% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in United States, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but United States consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Israel, contributing to the overall 41% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Israel, but in United States it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Israel is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.