Moving to Israel from Canada

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Canada to Israel — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Canada to Israel, you would find that Israel is 35.4% more expensive than Canada overall. A CA$110,000 salary in Canada would need to be roughly ₪326,000 in Israel to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic and Hebrew. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Jerusalem averages 72°F vs 55°F in Toronto, making it significantly warmer.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

Is Israel cheaper than Canada?

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 58.8% more

Groceries

pay 6.6% more

Transportation

pay 76.4% more

Housing

pay 20.5% more

Childcare

pay 81.8% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 49.5% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 CAD = 2.19 ILS (October 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

What salary do you need in Israel?

What does your salary buy?

CA$110,000 → ₪326,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Israel

Calculate with your salary →

Cost of living by city

Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).

On average, cities in Israel cost about 41% more than cities in Canada.

Israel

Ramat Gan 79%
Netanya 74%
Beersheba 72%

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to Israel

We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.

  • ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
  • ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
  • ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you

Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Canada to Israel, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
209 ↓ 47% vs 2022

people moved from Canada to Israel · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Israel?

Top countries of origin for Israel's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Canada to Israel.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

CA
2.0
IL
1.6
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

CA
88%
IL
80%

Israel generally does better on safety, though Canada leads in feel safe walking at night.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

CA
$7,646
IL
$4,033
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

CA
28.2
IL
38.0

Israel generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

CA
8.0
IL
15.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

CA
14.0t
IL
5.8t

Canada generally does better on environment, though Israel leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

CA
42.5
IL
29.2
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

CA
3.7%
IL
132.0%

Canada performs better than Israel across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

CA
6.9%
IL
3.5%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

CA
$55,698
IL
$60,337

Canada generally does better on employment & economy, though Israel leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

CA
82.1 yrs
IL
83.2 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

CA
4.7
IL
2.7

Israel performs significantly better than Canada across all family life metrics.

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2008–2014), Canada Revenue Agency (2016), Israel Ministry of Finance Tax Authority (2016). How we calculate this

Weather in Israel vs Canada

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Toronto Rain: 32.8 in/yr (834 mm)
55° / 42°F

Avg. annual high / low

Jerusalem Rain: 21.1 in/yr (537 mm)
72° / 57°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Toronto Jerusalem
Jan–Mar 34°/23°F (1°/-5°C) 58°/46°F (15°/8°C)
Apr–Jun 64°/49°F (18°/10°C) 78°/60°F (25°/15°C)
Jul–Sep 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) 85°/67°F (29°/20°C)
Oct–Dec 46°/35°F (8°/2°C) 68°/55°F (20°/13°C)
View all months
Month Toronto Jerusalem
Jan 30°/19°F (-1.1°/-7.3°C) 55°/44°F (12.8°/6.9°C)
Feb 32°/21°F (-0.2°/-6.3°C) 57°/45°F (13.8°/7.1°C)
Mar 40°/28°F (4.6°/-2.0°C) 63°/49°F (17.0°/9.2°C)
Apr 52°/39°F (11.3°/3.8°C) 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.1°C)
May 65°/50°F (18.5°/9.9°C) 79°/61°F (25.9°/16.0°C)
Jun 74°/59°F (23.5°/14.8°C) 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.2°C)
Jul 80°/64°F (26.4°/17.9°C) 86°/68°F (30.0°/20.2°C)
Aug 78°/63°F (25.3°/17.3°C) 86°/68°F (29.9°/20.0°C)
Sep 69°/56°F (20.7°/13.2°C) 83°/66°F (28.4°/18.7°C)
Oct 57°/45°F (13.8°/7.3°C) 78°/62°F (25.3°/16.8°C)
Nov 45°/36°F (7.4°/2.2°C) 68°/55°F (19.9°/12.8°C)
Dec 35°/25°F (1.8°/-3.7°C) 59°/48°F (15.2°/9.0°C)

Data: Meteorological Service of Canada Meteorological Service of Canada, Israel Meteorological Service Israel Meteorological Service

Can you move from Canada to Israel?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Canada and Israel. To live, work, or study long-term in Israel, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Israel's immigration authority.

Canada passport

Canada passport holder visiting Israel

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Canada passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter Israel.
Israel passport

Israel passport holder visiting Canada

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Israel passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter Canada.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Israel than Canada?

No — Israel is on average about 35% more expensive than Canada. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Israel?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ₪81,500 in Israel on a CA$110,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Israel?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Israel has 29.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Israel safe for expats?

Israel generally does better on safety, though Canada leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Israel is 1.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.0 in Canada. About 80% of people in Israel feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Israel compared to Canada?

Israel generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in health coverage index. There are 38.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Israel, compared to 28.2 in Canada. Israel scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Canada: 91).

What's the weather like in Israel compared to Canada?

The average high temperature in Jerusalem is 72°F, compared to 55°F in Toronto. Jerusalem receives around 21.1 in of rainfall per year, while Toronto gets 32.8 in.

What language do they speak in Israel?

The official languages in Israel are Arabic and Hebrew. In Canada, the official languages are English and French.

Share this

At a Glance

CA IL
Population 41,651,653 10,122,800
Currency Canadian Dollar (CA$) Israeli New Sheqel (₪)
Languages English, French Arabic, Hebrew
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +1 +972
Time zones 6 1
Emergency number 911 100