Money & Costs in Israel
Israel is expensive. Here's exactly how much to budget — from backpacker to luxury.
Let's be honest: Israel is expensive. It's comparable to Scandinavia or Switzerland for many everyday costs. The Israeli New Shekel (₪, NIS, ILS) trades at approximately 1 USD = 3.6 NIS (April 2026). Credit cards are accepted everywhere, including small shops and taxis. ATMs are plentiful. But with smart planning, you can absolutely visit Israel on a budget.
₪ NIS
Israeli New Shekel
1:3.6
USD to NIS (approx)
1:3.9
EUR to NIS (approx)
17%
VAT (0% in Eilat!)
Daily Budget by Travel Style
Backpacker
$80-120/day
- Hostel dorm ₪100-180 ($28-50)
- Street food (3 meals) ₪60-100 ($17-28)
- Public transport ₪20-40 ($6-11)
- One activity/museum ₪30-60 ($8-17)
- Beer at bar ₪30-40 ($8-11)
Mid-Range
$200-300/day
- Hotel (3-star) ₪400-700 ($110-195)
- Restaurant lunch + nice dinner ₪150-250 ($42-70)
- Taxi/car rental ₪80-150 ($22-42)
- Guided tour or activity ₪100-200 ($28-56)
- Drinks & snacks ₪50-80 ($14-22)
Luxury
$500+/day
- Luxury hotel ₪1,200+ ($330+)
- Fine dining ₪300-600 ($83-167)
- Private guide/car ₪500-1,000 ($140-280)
- Premium experiences ₪200-500 ($56-140)
- Cocktails & wine ₪100-200 ($28-56)
What Things Cost in Israel
🍽️ Food & Drink
- Falafel in pita ₪18-25
- Shawarma in pita ₪35-50
- Hummus plate ₪25-40
- Restaurant main course ₪60-120
- Fine dining tasting menu ₪350-700
- Coffee (café) ₪14-22
- Beer (bar) ₪28-42
- Cocktail ₪50-75
- Water bottle (1.5L, shop) ₪5-8
- Supermarket groceries (1 day) ₪50-100
🏨 Accommodation
- Hostel dorm bed ₪100-180
- Budget hotel (2-star) ₪250-400
- Mid-range hotel (3-star) ₪400-700
- Boutique hotel (4-star) ₪700-1,200
- Luxury hotel (5-star) ₪1,200-3,000+
- Dead Sea resort ₪800-2,500
- Negev glamping ₪400-1,500
- Airbnb (1 bed) ₪300-600
🚌 Transport
- City bus ride ₪5.50
- Train TLV→Jerusalem ₪25
- Train TLV→Haifa ₪35
- Bus TLV→Eilat ₪70
- Gett taxi (5km ride) ₪30-50
- Rental car (1 day) ₪150-300
- Gas (1 liter) ₪7.50
- Scooter rental (1 ride) ₪8-15
🎫 Activities & Attractions
- Western Wall Free
- Church of Holy Sepulchre Free
- Bahá'í Gardens tour Free
- Dead Sea public beach Free
- Masada cable car ₪31
- Israel Museum ₪54
- Yad Vashem Free
- Guided day tour ₪200-400
- Eilat diving (2 dives) ₪300-450
- Petra day trip from Eilat ₪450-650
10 Money-Saving Tips
Eilat is VAT-free (17% cheaper)
Everything in Eilat — hotels, restaurants, shopping — is exempt from Israel's 17% VAT. This is significant savings, especially on accommodation.
Eat at markets, not restaurants
Carmel Market (TLV), Mahane Yehuda (Jerusalem), and Wadi Nisnas (Haifa) offer incredible food at a fraction of restaurant prices. ₪25 for a full meal vs ₪80-120.
Drink tap water
Israeli tap water is safe and good quality everywhere. A 1.5L bottle costs ₪5-8 in shops. Refill a water bottle and save ₪20-40/day.
Use public transport
Get a Rav-Kav card. Buses and trains are cheap (₪5.50-35). The fast train to Jerusalem costs ₪25 vs ₪150+ for a taxi.
Visit free attractions
Western Wall, Church of Holy Sepulchre, Bahá'í Gardens tours, Yad Vashem, Dead Sea public beach, Tel Aviv beaches — all free.
Cook at accommodation
Hostels and Airbnbs with kitchens save huge on food. Israeli supermarkets (Shufersal, Rami Levy) have great fresh produce.
Book Friday flights
Friday afternoon and Saturday flights to/from Israel are often cheapest because religious travelers avoid Shabbat travel.
Visit in shoulder season
November-February (excluding holidays) and May have the best hotel deals — up to 40% less than July-August peak.
Get the VAT refund
Tourists can get a 17% VAT refund on purchases over ₪400 at participating stores. Ask for the refund form and claim at Ben Gurion Airport before departure.
Use Abraham Tours for day trips
Budget-friendly group tours to Masada/Dead Sea (₪250-350) are much cheaper than private tours (₪700+) and include transport.
Payment & ATMs
💳 Cards
- • Visa and Mastercard accepted everywhere
- • Contactless/Apple Pay works at most terminals
- • Amex accepted at larger establishments
- • Some market stalls and small shops: cash only
- • Use a no-foreign-fee card (Wise, Revolut) to avoid 2-3% bank fees
🏧 ATMs
- • ATMs everywhere: banks, malls, train stations
- • Withdraw in NIS (decline "conversion" to avoid bad rates)
- • Bank ATMs: Hapoalim, Leumi, Discount
- • Ben Gurion Airport has ATMs in arrivals
- • Typical fee: ₪10-20 per withdrawal + your bank's fee