Moving to Israel from Spain

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Spain to Israel, you would find that Israel is 47.7% more expensive than Spain overall. A €64,304 salary in Spain would need to be roughly ₪279,244 in Israel to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic and Hebrew.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Spain to Israel.

What does your salary buy?

€64,304 ₪279,244

To maintain the same standard of living in Israel

Calculate with your salary →

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

Restaurants

pay 37.5% more

Groceries

pay 25.1% more

Transportation

pay 27.1% more

Housing

pay 32.6% more

Childcare

pay 86.7% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 83.0% 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?

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

Moved in 2023
60 ↓ 33% vs 2022

people moved from Spain 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 Spain to Israel.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

ES
0.7
IL
1.6
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

ES
78%
IL
80%

Spain generally does better on safety, though Israel leads in feel safe walking at night.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

ES
$4,935
IL
$4,033
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

ES
44.8
IL
37.1

Spain 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

ES
10.0
IL
15.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ES
4.5t
IL
5.8t

Spain 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

ES
36.0
IL
29.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ES
43.2%
IL
132.0%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

ES
12.1%
IL
3.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ES
$46,400
IL
$48,300

Israel generally does better on employment & economy, though Spain leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

ES
82.5 yrs
IL
83.3 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ES
2.5
IL
3.6

Spain generally does better on family life, though Israel leads in life expectancy.

Data: Agencia Tributaria, Spain, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Madrid Rain: 16.6 in/yr (421 mm)
68° / 50°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Madrid Jerusalem
Jan–Mar 55°/40°F (13°/4°C) 58°/46°F (15°/8°C)
Apr–Jun 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) 78°/60°F (25°/15°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/64°F (30°/18°C) 85°/67°F (29°/20°C)
Oct–Dec 58°/44°F (14°/7°C) 68°/55°F (20°/13°C)
View all months
Month Madrid Jerusalem
Jan 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C) 55°/44°F (12.8°/6.9°C)
Feb 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C) 57°/45°F (13.8°/7.1°C)
Mar 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C) 63°/49°F (17.0°/9.2°C)
Apr 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C) 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.1°C)
May 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C) 79°/61°F (25.9°/16.0°C)
Jun 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C) 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.2°C)
Jul 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C) 86°/68°F (30.0°/20.2°C)
Aug 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C) 86°/68°F (29.9°/20.0°C)
Sep 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C) 83°/66°F (28.4°/18.7°C)
Oct 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C) 78°/62°F (25.3°/16.8°C)
Nov 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C) 68°/55°F (19.9°/12.8°C)
Dec 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C) 59°/48°F (15.2°/9.0°C)

Data: Agencia Estatal de Meteorología Agencia Estatal de Meteorología, Israel Meteorological Service Israel Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Spain 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.

Spain passport

Spain passport holder visiting Israel

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

Israel passport holder visiting Spain

Visa Free
Israel passport holders can enter Spain 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 Spain?

No — Israel is on average about 33% more expensive than Spain. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Israel?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ₪69,811 in Israel on a €64,304 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Israel?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Israel has 29.4 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?

Spain generally does better on safety, though Israel leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Israel is 1.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Spain. About 80% of people in Israel feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Israel compared to Spain?

Spain 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 44.8 in Spain. Israel scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Spain: 85).

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

The average high temperature in Jerusalem is 72°F, compared to 68°F in Madrid. Jerusalem receives around 21.1 in of rainfall per year, while Madrid gets 16.6 in.

What language do they speak in Israel?

The official languages in Israel are Arabic and Hebrew. In Spain, the official languages are Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish.

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At a Glance

ES IL
Population 47,163,418 8,914,885
Currency Euro (€) Israeli New Sheqel (₪)
Languages Basque, Catalan, Galician, Spanish Arabic, Hebrew
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +34 +972
Time zones 2 1
Emergency number 112 100