Moving to Israel from Russia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Russia to Israel? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Russia to Israel, you would find that Israel is 2.6 times more expensive than Russia overall. A RUB5,859,336 salary in Russia would need to be roughly ₪442,950 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 Moscow, making it significantly warmer.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Russia and Israel.
What does your salary buy?
RUB5,859,336 → ₪442,950
To maintain the same standard of living in Israel
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 3.1 times more
Groceries
pay 2.1 times more
Transportation
pay 2.6 times more
Housing
pay 3.1 times more
Childcare
pay 2.5 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 3.2 times 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.
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 55% more than cities in Russia.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Russia to Israel.
people moved from Russia to Israel · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Israel compared to Russia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Israel generally does better on safety, though Russia leads in feel safe walking at night.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Russia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Israel leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Israel performs significantly better than Russia across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Russia generally does better on infrastructure, though Israel leads in broadband per 100 people.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Russia generally does better on employment & economy, though Israel leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
Israel generally does better on family life, though Russia leads in literacy rate.
Data: Federal Tax Service of Russia, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Moscow | Jerusalem |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 27°/15°F (-3°/-10°C) | 58°/46°F (15°/8°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) | 78°/60°F (25°/15°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 68°/52°F (20°/11°C) | 85°/67°F (29°/20°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 36°/26°F (2°/-3°C) | 68°/55°F (20°/13°C) |
View all months
| Month | Moscow | Jerusalem |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21°/10°F (-6.3°/-12.3°C) | 55°/44°F (12.8°/6.9°C) |
| Feb | 24°/12°F (-4.2°/-11.1°C) | 57°/45°F (13.8°/7.1°C) |
| Mar | 35°/22°F (1.5°/-5.6°C) | 63°/49°F (17.0°/9.2°C) |
| Apr | 51°/35°F (10.4°/1.7°C) | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.1°C) |
| May | 65°/46°F (18.4°/7.6°C) | 79°/61°F (25.9°/16.0°C) |
| Jun | 71°/53°F (21.7°/11.5°C) | 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.2°C) |
| Jul | 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.5°C) | 86°/68°F (30.0°/20.2°C) |
| Aug | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.0°C) | 86°/68°F (29.9°/20.0°C) |
| Sep | 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.1°C) | 83°/66°F (28.4°/18.7°C) |
| Oct | 47°/36°F (8.2°/2.1°C) | 78°/62°F (25.3°/16.8°C) |
| Nov | 34°/26°F (1.1°/-3.3°C) | 68°/55°F (19.9°/12.8°C) |
| Dec | 26°/17°F (-3.5°/-8.6°C) | 59°/48°F (15.2°/9.0°C) |
Data:
Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring,
Israel Meteorological Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Russia 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.
Russia passport holder visiting Israel
Electronic Travel Authorisation
Israel passport holder visiting Russia
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 Russia?
On average Israel is around 94% pricier than Russia, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Israel?
Budget about ₪110,738 for 3 months in Israel (based on a RUB5,859,336 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and 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?
Israel generally does better on safety, though Russia leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Israel is 1.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.8 in Russia. About 80% of people in Israel feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Israel compared to Russia?
Russia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Israel leads in health coverage index. There are 37.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Israel, compared to 38.3 in Russia. Israel scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Russia: 79).
What's the weather like in Israel compared to Russia?
The average high temperature in Jerusalem is 72°F, compared to 48°F in Moscow. Jerusalem receives around 21.1 in of rainfall per year, while Moscow gets 27.2 in.
What language do they speak in Israel?
The official languages in Israel are Arabic and Hebrew. In Russia, the official language is Russian.
