Moving to Israel from New York
What to Expect
Considering a move from New York to Israel? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from New York to Israel, you would find that Israel is 0.9% cheaper than New York. A $75,000 salary in New York would need to be roughly ₪231,000 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 62°F in New York City, 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 New York?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 28.9% more
Groceries
pay 11.6% less
Transportation
pay 50.3% more
Housing
pay 23.4% less
Childcare
pay 21.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 9.4% more
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?
$75,000 → ₪231,000
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 9% more than cities in New York.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from New York to Israel.
people moved from United States to Israel · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Israel compared to New York.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Israel performs significantly better than New York across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
New York performs better than Israel across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
New York generally does better on employment & economy, though Israel leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Israel performs significantly better than New York across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2024–2025), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), World Health Organization (2024), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), The World Factbook (2014), OECD Regional Demography (2020). How we calculate this
Weather in Israel vs New York
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | New York City | Jerusalem |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/30°F (6°/-1°C) | 58°/46°F (15°/8°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 70°/54°F (21°/12°C) | 78°/60°F (25°/15°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/66°F (27°/19°C) | 85°/67°F (29°/20°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 54°/41°F (12°/5°C) | 68°/55°F (20°/13°C) |
View all months
| Month | New York City | Jerusalem |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38°/27°F (3.5°/-2.8°C) | 55°/44°F (12.8°/6.9°C) |
| Feb | 42°/29°F (5.3°/-1.7°C) | 57°/45°F (13.8°/7.1°C) |
| Mar | 50°/35°F (9.8°/1.8°C) | 63°/49°F (17.0°/9.2°C) |
| Apr | 61°/45°F (16.2°/7.1°C) | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.1°C) |
| May | 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.2°C) | 79°/61°F (25.9°/16.0°C) |
| Jun | 79°/64°F (26.3°/17.6°C) | 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.2°C) |
| Jul | 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.4°C) | 86°/68°F (30.0°/20.2°C) |
| Aug | 83°/68°F (28.1°/19.9°C) | 86°/68°F (29.9°/20.0°C) |
| Sep | 75°/61°F (24.0°/16.0°C) | 83°/66°F (28.4°/18.7°C) |
| Oct | 64°/50°F (17.7°/10.0°C) | 78°/62°F (25.3°/16.8°C) |
| Nov | 54°/42°F (12.1°/5.3°C) | 68°/55°F (19.9°/12.8°C) |
| Dec | 43°/32°F (6.1°/0.0°C) | 59°/48°F (15.2°/9.0°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Israel Meteorological Service
Can you move from New York to Israel?
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 holder visiting Israel
Electronic Travel Authorisation
Israel passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 York?
Israel and New York are within a few percent on overall cost, though specific items in specific cities can swing either way.
How much money do I need to move to Israel?
Budget about ₪57,750 for 3 months in Israel (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Israel?
From major Israel cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in New York and Israel are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Israel compared to New York?
Israel performs significantly better than New York across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Israel compared to New York?
The average high temperature in Jerusalem is 72°F, compared to 62°F in New York City. Jerusalem receives around 21.1 in of rainfall per year, while New York City gets 49.9 in.
What language do they speak in Israel?
The official languages in Israel are Arabic and Hebrew. In New York, the official language is English.
