Cost of Living: New York vs Israel (Jerusalem)
How expensive is Israel compared with New York City? The national price level of everyday spending versus the New York metro area, and the salary — in US dollars and ILS — that buys the same standard of living.
Salary converter
Before taxes. Income tax, sales tax and benefits differ a lot between places and aren’t included.
The numbers
- Cities
- Jerusalem
- Price level vs US average
- 105.9 (New York metro: 112.6)
- Exchange rate (2025 avg.)
- 1 USD = 3.452 ILS
- Purchasing-power parity
- 1 USD of US-average spending ≈ 3.656 ILS
- Source
- World Bank, PPP conversion factor for private consumption ÷ exchange rate (2025); New York: BEA 2024
⚠️ This is Israel’s national average. Major cities — especially Jerusalem — are usually more expensive, mostly because of rent, so treat this as a lower bound for big-city living.
Frequently asked questions
Is Israel cheaper than New York?
Yes. Israel is 6% cheaper than the New York metro area overall (index 94, New York = 100).
What salary in Israel equals $100,000 in New York?
About $94,086 a year (about ₪324,774 at purchasing-power parity) buys the same standard of living in Israel as $100,000 in the New York metro area, before taxes.
Is Jerusalem more expensive than Israel’s national average?
Usually, yes. The comparison here uses Israel’s national average price level; large cities such as Jerusalem typically cost more than the national figure, especially for rent.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank price levels of household consumption for 2025 (purchasing power parity conversion factor divided by the market exchange rate), compared with BEA’s 2024 figure for the New York metro area.