Moving to Israel from Greece

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Greece to Israel, you would find that Israel is 86.0% more expensive than Greece overall. A €67,000 salary in Greece would need to be roughly ₪433,000 in Israel to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic and Hebrew.

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

Is Israel cheaper than Greece?

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

Restaurants

pay 78.3% more

Groceries

pay 49.7% more

Transportation

pay 57.5% more

Housing

pay 2.3 times more

Childcare

pay 3.4 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 67.0% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 3.48 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?

€67,000 → ₪433,000

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 85% more than cities in Greece.

Greece

Xanthi 43%
Kavala 42%

Israel

Ramat Gan 79%
Netanya 74%
Beersheba 72%

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to Israel

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2023
9 ↑ 12% vs 2022

people moved from Greece 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 Greece to Israel.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

GR
0.8
IL
1.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

GR
7.3
IL
4.2

Greece generally does better on safety, though Israel leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

GR
$3,454
IL
$4,033
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

GR
65.8
IL
38.0

Israel generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Greece 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

GR
23.0
IL
15.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

GR
5.0t
IL
5.8t

Greece generally does better on environment, though Israel leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

GR
44.7
IL
29.2
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

GR
20.3%
IL
132.0%

Greece generally does better on infrastructure, though Israel leads in electricity per capita.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

GR
8.5%
IL
3.5%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

GR
$26,948
IL
$60,337

Greece 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

GR
81.8 yrs
IL
83.2 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

GR
3.2
IL
2.7

Israel generally does better on family life, though Greece leads in literacy rate.

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), The World Factbook (2011–2018), World Health Organization (2024), GSIS, Greece (2016), Israel Ministry of Finance Tax Authority (2016). How we calculate this

Weather in Israel vs Greece

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Athens Rain: 16.3 in/yr (414 mm)
72° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Athens Jerusalem
Jan–Mar 57°/42°F (14°/6°C) 58°/46°F (15°/8°C)
Apr–Jun 78°/57°F (26°/14°C) 78°/60°F (25°/15°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/67°F (32°/20°C) 85°/67°F (29°/20°C)
Oct–Dec 65°/50°F (18°/10°C) 68°/55°F (20°/13°C)
View all months
Month Athens Jerusalem
Jan 54°/41°F (12.5°/5.2°C) 55°/44°F (12.8°/6.9°C)
Feb 56°/42°F (13.5°/5.4°C) 57°/45°F (13.8°/7.1°C)
Mar 60°/44°F (15.7°/6.7°C) 63°/49°F (17.0°/9.2°C)
Apr 68°/49°F (20.2°/9.6°C) 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.1°C)
May 79°/57°F (26.0°/13.9°C) 79°/61°F (25.9°/16.0°C)
Jun 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.2°C) 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.2°C)
Jul 92°/69°F (33.5°/20.8°C) 86°/68°F (30.0°/20.2°C)
Aug 92°/69°F (33.2°/20.7°C) 86°/68°F (29.9°/20.0°C)
Sep 85°/63°F (29.2°/17.3°C) 83°/66°F (28.4°/18.7°C)
Oct 74°/56°F (23.3°/13.4°C) 78°/62°F (25.3°/16.8°C)
Nov 65°/50°F (18.1°/9.8°C) 68°/55°F (19.9°/12.8°C)
Dec 57°/44°F (14.1°/6.8°C) 59°/48°F (15.2°/9.0°C)

Data: Hellenic National Meteorological Service Hellenic National Meteorological Service, Israel Meteorological Service Israel Meteorological Service

Can you move from Greece to Israel?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Greece 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.

Greece passport

Greece passport holder visiting Israel

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

Israel passport holder visiting Greece

Visa Free
Israel passport holders can enter Greece 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 Greece?

No — Israel is on average about 86% more expensive than Greece. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Israel?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ₪108,250 in Israel on a €67,000 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?

Greece generally does better on safety, though Israel leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Israel is 1.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Greece.

How is healthcare in Israel compared to Greece?

Israel generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Greece leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 38.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Israel, compared to 65.8 in Greece. Israel scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Greece: 77).

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

The average high temperature in Jerusalem is 72°F, compared to 72°F in Athens. Jerusalem receives around 21.1 in of rainfall per year, while Athens gets 16.3 in.

What language do they speak in Israel?

The official languages in Israel are Arabic and Hebrew. In Greece, the official language is Greek.

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At a Glance

GR IL
Population 10,413,962 10,122,800
Currency Euro (€) Israeli New Sheqel (₪)
Languages Greek Arabic, Hebrew
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +30 +972
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 100