Jerusalem vs Tel Aviv: Jerusalem costs 36% less per square metre, and what else the data shows
Jerusalem buys about 36% more apartment per shekel than Tel Aviv: recorded sales in Q2 2026 ran at ₪34,935 per square metre against ₪54,406. Semerenko Group’s registry puts the median recorded apartment sale at ₪2,700,000 in Jerusalem (1,031 deals) and ₪3,950,000 in Tel Aviv (1,202 deals) in the same quarter. Renters pay a median of ₪7,000 a month in Jerusalem and ₪8,700 in Tel Aviv on current asking rents, so renting first is cheaper in Jerusalem. A year of median rent covers 2.1% of the median asking price in Jerusalem and 2.2% in Tel Aviv, a gross yield indicator that favours Tel Aviv. Size bands, room counts and the quarterly trend follow, each with the sample behind it.
| Measure | Jerusalem | Tel Aviv |
|---|---|---|
| Median recorded apartment sale (Israel Tax Authority) | ₪2,700,000 (n=1,031, Q2 2026) | ₪3,950,000 (n=1,202, Q2 2026) |
| Median recorded price per sqm | ₪34,935 (n=1,027, Q2 2026) | ₪54,406 (n=1,196, Q2 2026) |
| Median asking price, live listings | ₪3,990,000 (n=3,951, 2026-10) | ₪4,650,000 (n=2,846, 2026-10) |
| Median asking price per sqm | ₪36,535 (n=3,951, 2026-10) | ₪50,000 (n=2,846, 2026-10) |
| Median asking rent per month | ₪7,000 (n=5,119, 2026-10) | ₪8,700 (n=8,137, 2026-10) |
| Gross yield indicator (median asking rent x 12 / median asking price) | 2.1% | 2.2% |
| Square metres ₪2,000,000 buys at the recorded median per sqm | 57 sqm (614 sq ft) | 37 sqm (398 sq ft) |
| Live listings in our registry now (for sale / for rent) | 3,962 / 3,803 | 2,480 / 7,786 |
Recorded sales: Israel Tax Authority deals published through GovMap, apartments only, latest complete quarter with at least 20 deals. Asking figures: median of live listings in Semerenko Group’s registry (Yad2, Madlan and other public listing sites, deduplicated), current month, at least 20 listings. Gross yield is an indicator computed from two medians, not a return on any specific home.Currency conversions use the Bank of Israel representative rates of 2026-10-16: 1 USD = ₪3.089, 1 GBP = ₪4.1194, 1 EUR = ₪3.4769.
| City and measure | ILS | USD | GBP | EUR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jerusalem (recorded median) | ₪2,700,000 | $874,000 | £655,000 | €777,000 |
| Jerusalem median asking rent, per month | ₪7,000 | $2,270 | £1,700 | €2,010 |
| Tel Aviv (recorded median) | ₪3,950,000 | $1,280,000 | £959,000 | €1,140,000 |
| Tel Aviv median asking rent, per month | ₪8,700 | $2,820 | £2,110 | €2,500 |
Bank of Israel representative rates of 2026-10-16; rounded.
| Size band | Jerusalem | Tel Aviv |
|---|---|---|
| under 60 sqm | ₪2,160,000 (n=711) | ₪2,719,500 (n=982) |
| 60-89 sqm | ₪2,585,000 (n=1,363) | ₪3,798,500 (n=1,332) |
| 90-119 sqm | ₪3,397,500 (n=1,106) | ₪4,800,000 (n=1,053) |
| 120-159 sqm | ₪4,326,000 (n=389) | ₪7,314,000 (n=399) |
| 160+ sqm | ₪8,000,000 (n=151) | ₪11,600,000 (n=125) |
Israel Tax Authority records, apartments, Q4 2025 to Q3 2026 combined; bands with fewer than 20 deals are not shown.
| Rooms | Jerusalem | Tel Aviv |
|---|---|---|
| 1-2 rooms (studio to 1 bedroom) | ₪4,600/mo (n=1,012) | ₪5,500/mo (n=2,464) |
| 3 rooms (2 bedrooms) | ₪6,900/mo (n=1,074) | ₪9,250/mo (n=2,516) |
| 4 rooms (3 bedrooms) | ₪8,700/mo (n=919) | ₪12,000/mo (n=1,794) |
| 5+ rooms (4 or more bedrooms) | ₪13,250/mo (n=652) | ₪14,500/mo (n=760) |
Israeli room counts include the living room: a 4-room apartment has 3 bedrooms. Live listings in Semerenko Group’s registry, last 30 days; rows with fewer than 20 listings are not shown.
| Quarter | Jerusalem | Tel Aviv |
|---|---|---|
| Q2 2026 vs Q1 2026 | -7.1% | +1.5% |
| Q1 2026 vs Q4 2025 | -1.4% | +8.3% |
| Q4 2025 vs Q3 2025 | +6.1% | -5.4% |
| Q3 2025 vs Q2 2025 | -0.7% | +2.7% |
Change between consecutive quarterly medians of recorded apartment sales (Israel Tax Authority). A median moves with the mix of homes sold, not only with prices.
What people weigh when choosing between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv
- Price per metre. Jerusalem is the cheaper city per square metre on recorded sales, so the same budget buys more space there (table above, with the quarter and sample size).
- Rent against price. The gross yield indicator is higher in Tel Aviv (2.2% against 2.1%), which matters to investors and to renters deciding whether to buy.
- Monthly rent. Renting first is cheaper in Jerusalem at the current medians; use the rooms table to compare like for like.
- Community and daily life. Schools, shuls, English-speaking community and commute are on the city pages: Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, and by community on the hashkafa index.
- Taxes and financing are the same in both cities. Purchase tax depends on the buyer, not the city: see the purchase tax brackets and the mortgage hub.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper per square metre, Jerusalem or Tel Aviv?
Jerusalem. In Q2 2026 the median recorded price per square metre was ₪34,935 in Jerusalem and ₪54,406 in Tel Aviv (Israel Tax Authority records via GovMap).
What does a 4-room apartment rent for in Jerusalem compared with Tel Aviv?
Median asking rent for 4 rooms (3 bedrooms) is ₪8,700 a month in Jerusalem (919 listings) and ₪12,000 in Tel Aviv (1,794 listings), live listings in October 2026.
How much apartment does ₪2,000,000 buy in Jerusalem versus Tel Aviv?
At the recorded median price per square metre, about 57 sqm in Jerusalem and 37 sqm in Tel Aviv (Q2 2026). Actual homes vary by street, floor, building age and condition.
Where do these Jerusalem and Tel Aviv figures come from?
Recorded sales are Israel Tax Authority deals published through GovMap. Asking prices and rents are medians of live listings in Semerenko Group’s registry, gathered from public listing sites and deduplicated. Every row shows the sample size and date; a figure is shown only with at least 20 records.
Related pages
- Jerusalem real estate
- Tel Aviv real estate
- All city comparisons
- Purchase tax brackets 2026
- Cost of buying property in Israel
- Average rent in Israel by city
Sources
- Israel Tax Authority recorded deals via GovMap, as of 2026-06-30
- Semerenko Group listing registry (Yad2, Madlan and other public listing sites, deduplicated), as of 2026-10-18
- Bank of Israel representative exchange rates, as of 2026-10-16
Verified 2026-10-18 by Chaim Semerenko, Semerenko Group; brokerage under broker of record Pinchas Menachem Reis, licence 324150.
