Moving to Israel from Finland

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Finland to Israel? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Finland to Israel, you would find that Israel is 33.3% more expensive than Finland overall. A €64,304 salary in Finland would need to be roughly ₪269,731 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 48°F in Helsinki, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Finland and Israel.

What does your salary buy?

€64,304 ₪269,731

To maintain the same standard of living in Israel

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 25.2% more

Groceries

pay 18.9% more

Transportation

pay 2.0% less

Housing

pay 49.9% more

Childcare

pay 2.1 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 6.1% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 3.27 ILS (June 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.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Finland to Israel.

Moved in 2023
12 ↑ 50% vs 2022

people moved from Finland 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

The numbers behind daily life in Israel compared to Finland.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

FI
1.2
IL
1.6
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

FI
86%
IL
80%

Finland performs better than Israel across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

FI
$6,433
IL
$4,033
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

FI
43.8
IL
37.1

Finland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Israel leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

FI
7.0
IL
15.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

FI
5.5t
IL
5.8t

Finland performs better than Israel across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

FI
34.5
IL
29.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

FI
7.1%
IL
132.0%

Finland performs better than Israel across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

FI
7.2%
IL
3.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

FI
$57,500
IL
$48,300

Israel generally does better on employment & economy, though Finland leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

FI
81.8 yrs
IL
83.3 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

FI
2.1
IL
3.6

Israel generally does better on family life, though Finland leads in infant mortality.

Data: Finnish Tax Administration, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Helsinki Rain: 25.6 in/yr (650 mm)
48° / 34°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Helsinki Jerusalem
Jan–Mar 29°/18°F (-1°/-8°C) 58°/46°F (15°/8°C)
Apr–Jun 58°/40°F (14°/4°C) 78°/60°F (25°/15°C)
Jul–Sep 65°/49°F (19°/10°C) 85°/67°F (29°/20°C)
Oct–Dec 38°/28°F (3°/-2°C) 68°/55°F (20°/13°C)
View all months
Month Helsinki Jerusalem
Jan 27°/17°F (-2.6°/-8.5°C) 55°/44°F (12.8°/6.9°C)
Feb 27°/15°F (-2.9°/-9.3°C) 57°/45°F (13.8°/7.1°C)
Mar 34°/22°F (1.1°/-5.6°C) 63°/49°F (17.0°/9.2°C)
Apr 46°/31°F (7.5°/-0.7°C) 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.1°C)
May 60°/40°F (15.5°/4.4°C) 79°/61°F (25.9°/16.0°C)
Jun 68°/49°F (19.8°/9.3°C) 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.2°C)
Jul 71°/53°F (21.8°/11.8°C) 86°/68°F (30.0°/20.2°C)
Aug 68°/51°F (19.9°/10.7°C) 86°/68°F (29.9°/20.0°C)
Sep 57°/43°F (14.0°/6.1°C) 83°/66°F (28.4°/18.7°C)
Oct 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.2°C) 78°/62°F (25.3°/16.8°C)
Nov 36°/28°F (2.5°/-2.4°C) 68°/55°F (19.9°/12.8°C)
Dec 31°/20°F (-0.8°/-6.6°C) 59°/48°F (15.2°/9.0°C)

Data: Finnish Meteorological Institute Finnish Meteorological Institute, Israel Meteorological Service Israel Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Finland 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.

Finland passport

Finland passport holder visiting Israel

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

Israel passport holder visiting Finland

Visa Free
Israel passport holders can enter Finland without a visa.

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 Finland?

On average Israel is around 28% pricier than Finland, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Israel?

Budget about ₪67,433 for 3 months in Israel (based on a €64,304 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, rental deposit, visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Israel?

Connectivity is usually fine (Israel: 29.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Israel offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Israel safe for expats?

Finland performs better than Israel across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Israel is 1.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.2 in Finland. About 80% of people in Israel feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Israel compared to Finland?

Finland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Israel leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 37.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Israel, compared to 43.8 in Finland. Israel scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Finland: 86).

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

The average high temperature in Jerusalem is 72°F, compared to 48°F in Helsinki. Jerusalem receives around 21.1 in of rainfall per year, while Helsinki gets 25.6 in.

What language do they speak in Israel?

The official languages in Israel are Arabic and Hebrew. In Finland, the official languages are Finnish and Swedish.

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At a Glance

FI IL
Population 5,601,547 8,914,885
Currency Euro (€) Israeli New Sheqel (₪)
Languages Finnish, Swedish Arabic, Hebrew
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +358 +972
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 100