Israel Cost of Living

Making aliyah.  You are moving, and going to be living in Israel and wondering how much it really costs to live here.  How much money does my family need a month? Can we live on $5000 a month? Can we live on less? These are just some of the questions you are probably asking.  Make use our guideline of the average  living expenses - in Shekels - for a family of four to build your budget. 

Obviously living expenses will vary greatly from family to family according to your life-style and the town or city you choose to live in.  For example, on average, living in Raanana is about 30 percent more expensive than living in Haifa.  Municipal taxes (arnona) in Haifa however, are amongst the highest in Israel.

Salaries in Israel are lower than you are used to earning! The minimum wage in Israel, according to the Department of Statistics, as at June 2010 stands at 3850 shekels per month (US$1000). The average wage is 8235 shekels per month as of April 2010 (US$2200).  

Your Israel Budget

In your first year, it is very important to take time and develop a realistic family budget. You'll  probably be at ulpan for about 5months and it may take you another few months till you find a job.

Housing: Renting Figures based on an average 3 bedroom apartment. (100 sqm).  Note: Monthly mortgage payment or your rental should not exceed more than 1/3 of your income.	2500 - 6000  Shekels per month
Housing: Purchase Usually a 40% down-payment is required when making a property purchase.  Prices listed here are quoted per square meter in US$ Jerusalem  Tel Aviv  Beersheva, Haifa, Hadera & Afula   Modiin	6,000 - 12,000 5,000 - 7,000 2,500 - 5,000 2,000 - 2,500
Arnona (municipal rates and taxes) on 100 sqm Statements of account for municipal taxes and water are sent out every 2 months so your actual bill will be between 800 - 2000 shekels. New immigrants are entitled to a discount on their arnona. We have also translated your Arnona bill for your convenience.	400 - 1000 Shekels
Municipal Water Bill Under the current water restrictions, each family member is entitled to 2.5 cu per month.  A family of 4 is therefore entitled to 10 cu of water per month.  Water consumption above this, is charged at a much higher rate.  The water bill is also sent out every 2 months. For a translation of your Municipal water bill, click here	100 - 300 Shekels per month
Electricity Lights, washing machine, dishwasher, oven, microwave and other small appliances (not including clothes dryer or air-conditioner).  Click on the link for a translation of your Electricity Bill: A medium range air-conditioning unit costs approximately one shekel per hour to run.  Most Israeli homes have gas cookers rather than electric ones. Many families use toaster ovens instead of regular ovens for quick cooking. Electricity bill are sent out every 2 months so your actual bill will be between 500 - 1500 shekels What appliances and items should you bring to Israel?	250 - 700 shekels per month
House Committee Levy The monthly house committee levy generally includes electricity (for the entrance and stairwells), water (garden and washing floors - entrance and stairwells), a cleaning person and general building maintenance.  Special one-time repairs or maintenance are generally divided equally by the neighbors if and when necessary. The monthly levy is much higher in buildings that have elevators and swimming pools.	50 - 300 Shekels per month
Gas: Cooking & Heating A small gas balloon costs around 150 shekels and generally lasts for a little over 2 months when used for cooking purposes only.  If you use gas to heat your home in the winter, your bill will be considerably higher. Ceramic stoves (glass tops) are now quite popular in Israel.	75 - 150 shekels per month
TV, Phone & Internet Package Cable TV basic package, internet and telephone.  Special channels not included in the basic package and can cost anywhere from 15 shekels to 50 shekels per month per channel.  Click here for a translation of your Cable TV bill. Internet provider – 12 GB  Special packages for telephone calls abroad, per minute	350 shekels per month From 45 shekels  From 15 agorot
Mobile phones 2012 saw a revolution in the mobile phone industry in Israel with the establishment of a number of new mobile phone carriers. Competition between them is rife at the moment.  On average, you can get a 3rd generation package: calls, text and internet for about 100 shekels per month.  Click here for a translation of your mobile phone bill Purchase: 3rd generation phones Calls, per minute Text Messaging Click here for the latest news on mobile phone carriers, plans and information in Israel	100 month   2100 - 3000 20 - 60 agorot 50 agorot
Groceries At the supermarket  At the shuk (fresh produce market) Shopping at the fresh produce market (shuk) is considerably cheaper on Friday afternoons from around 2pm till closing at 4pm. See our article on shopping in Israel and average supermarket prices for 2012	2,000 - 4,000 per month  1,000 - 1,500 per month
Running a Car Insurance: 3rd party and comprehensive on an average family vehicle Gas/petrol price in Israel; Please note that the gas/petrol price in Israel is reviewed on a monthly basis.  Sometimes there is a price increase and sometimes there is a decrease.   What is involved in bringing and importing a car to Israel?  How do I buy a car in Israel?	300 - 400  per month 7.7 shekels per liter
Entertainment Movie ticket 3D Movie Ticket Live shows, theater, symphony Overseas performers  Discounts for live entertainment are often given in exchange for points earned on a credit card.  The Culture-club also offers discounts on tickets to its members	35 shekels  45 shekels   100 - 300 300 - 1500
Country/sport's club:  including gym, pool etc.	300-500 family
Eating Out -Mac Donalds (combo meal) -Felafel -Schwarma -Steak -Salad (main course, usually enough for 2 people)  -Coffee -Soda	37 Shekels  14 Shekels 22 Shekels 100 Shekels 50 Shekels 15 Shekels 7 - 11 Shekels
School Fees School fees, are laid out by the Ministry of Education.  The figures quoted here are for the 2010/2011 academic year, per child, per year -Basic fee (sal ha'tarbut) -Class parties -Annual class trip -Personal effects, notebooks, equipment etc. (not clothing) -An after school activity; ballet, judo, art classes etc. (per month per activity) -Private school fees -Private day care for tiny tots - Includes meal.  As of September 2012, there are no school fees for children, from the age of 3, attending a municipal kindergarten. Additional charges may vary from school to school and would include: the parent's committee, annual trip, heating, class year books etc. A translation of the municipal bill for school fees	150 – 400 25 - 100 400 – 650 600  150 - 200 1500+/ month 1500+/ month
School Uniforms Summer T shirts Girls summer tights (leggings/ski pants) Please note: some schools in Israel, no longer allow girls to wear these tights.  Check with your school before you buy Boys summer gym  shorts Long sleeved Ts Winter Sweatshirts & Hoodies Jeans Sneakers	25 – 45 ea 35 - 65 ea 25 – 55 ea 30 – 45 ea 45 – 85 ea 200 – 300 pr 300 - 700 pr
Minimum Wage or Salary in Israel from July 2011  Per day, if you work 5 days a week  Per day if you work 6 days a week  Per hour if you work per hour (regular hours - without overtime) Per Month if you work on a monthly salary See a typical, and translated Israeli salary slip	189.23 Shekels 164.00 Shekels  22.04 Shekels  4,100 Shekels

 

Related Articles:

• Average Prices 
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• Alon Gal's 10 Top Money Tips
• Saving Electricity
• Translated Household Bills
• Overview of Banking in Israel
• Exchange Rate & Currency Converter

 

 

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