Moving to Israel from New Jersey

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from New Jersey to Israel — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from New Jersey to Israel, you would find that Israel is 2.9% cheaper than New Jersey. A $75,000 salary in New Jersey would need to be roughly ₪224,272 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 63°F in Trenton, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from New Jersey to Israel.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 ₪224,272

To maintain the same standard of living in Israel

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 17.3% more

Groceries

pay 22.8% less

Transportation

pay 28.8% more

Housing

pay 24.2% less

Childcare

pay 52.2% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.2% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate:1 USD = 3.0 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.

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 17% less than cities in New Jersey.

New Jersey

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?

Real numbers on people moving from New Jersey to Israel, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
2,413 ↓ 18% vs 2022

people moved from United States 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

How New Jersey and Israel stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rateCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

NJ
30.0%
IL
26.1%

Israel performs significantly better than New Jersey across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet accessUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

NJ
91.9%
IL
90.0%

New Jersey performs better than Israel across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rateBureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

NJ
4.5%
IL
3.4%
GDP per capitaBureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

NJ
$70,788
IL
$48,300

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancyOECD Regional Demography, 2022

average years of life at birth

NJ
77.5 yrs
IL
83.3 yrs

Israel performs significantly better than New Jersey across all family life metrics.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

TrentonRain: 46.5 in/yr (1180 mm)
63°/44°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

MonthsTrentonJerusalem
Jan–Mar44°/27°F (7°/-3°C)58°/46°F (15°/8°C)
Apr–Jun71°/51°F (22°/10°C)78°/60°F (25°/15°C)
Jul–Sep82°/62°F (28°/17°C)85°/67°F (29°/20°C)
Oct–Dec54°/36°F (12°/2°C)68°/55°F (20°/13°C)
View all months
MonthTrentonJerusalem
Jan39°/23°F (3.9°/-4.9°C)55°/44°F (12.8°/6.9°C)
Feb42°/26°F (5.7°/-3.4°C)57°/45°F (13.8°/7.1°C)
Mar51°/32°F (10.5°/-0.1°C)63°/49°F (17.0°/9.2°C)
Apr61°/41°F (16.3°/5.0°C)71°/54°F (21.5°/12.1°C)
May72°/51°F (22.1°/10.3°C)79°/61°F (25.9°/16.0°C)
Jun81°/60°F (27.1°/15.7°C)83°/65°F (28.4°/18.2°C)
Jul85°/66°F (29.6°/18.9°C)86°/68°F (30.0°/20.2°C)
Aug84°/64°F (28.7°/17.9°C)86°/68°F (29.9°/20.0°C)
Sep76°/56°F (24.5°/13.6°C)83°/66°F (28.4°/18.7°C)
Oct65°/44°F (18.3°/6.8°C)78°/62°F (25.3°/16.8°C)
Nov54°/37°F (12.5°/2.7°C)68°/55°F (19.9°/12.8°C)
Dec43°/28°F (6.2°/-2.4°C)59°/48°F (15.2°/9.0°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service, Israel Meteorological Service Israel Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.

United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Israel

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

Israel passport holder visiting United States

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

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 New Jersey?

Headline costs are within a few percent between Israel and New Jersey; rent and dining are where you'll actually feel differences.

How much money do I need to move to Israel?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a $75,000 comparable salary, that's around ₪56,068 in Israel for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Israel?

Working remotely from Israel's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in New Jersey and Israel.

How is healthcare in Israel compared to New Jersey?

Israel performs significantly better than New Jersey across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Israel compared to New Jersey?

The average high temperature in Jerusalem is 72°F, compared to 63°F in Trenton. Jerusalem receives around 21.1 in of rainfall per year, while Trenton gets 46.5 in.

What language do they speak in Israel?

The official languages in Israel are Arabic and Hebrew. In New Jersey, the official language is English.

Share this

At a Glance

IL
Population8,791,8948,914,885
CurrencyUnited States Dollar ($)Israeli New Sheqel (₪)
LanguagesEnglishArabic, Hebrew
Driving sideRightRight
Calling code+1+972
Time zones111
Emergency number911100