Cost of living in israel

Matzot, vegetables, and a washing machine: Passover 2026 marks a new era of Israeli consumerism

The pre-Passover shopping season begins, highlighting a key trend: Expensive and complex products, led by electrical appliances, are rapidly moving into food retail chains.

|ByDR. HEZI GUR MIZRAHI
"Consumers are shifting from category-based buying to choosing what’s cheapest, closest, and most convenient."
Finance Minister and Head of the Religious Zionist Party Bezalel Smotrich leads a faction meeting at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, February 16, 2026.

Business owners protest at Knesset as Smotrich raises Israel's import tax exemption

The government approved Smotrich's order on Sunday and is expected to be finalized through a vote in the Knesset plenum on Monday evening.

|ByKESHET NEEV
FORMER PRIME MINISTER Naftali Bennett addresses the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations in Jerusalem on Tuesday.

Naftali Bennett's big comeback: Can the ex-PM return from political hiatus to topple Netanyahu?

POLITICAL AFFAIRS: The ex-PM claims to have a plan to “fix Israel’s biggest problems in all areas,” sharing the details with English-speaking olim at a recent event in Tel Aviv.

|ByKESHET NEEV
ISRAELI POLITICIAN Bezalel Smotrich is seen before President Donald Trump speaks to the Knesset, on October 13, 2025 in Jerusalem.

Two protesters held outside Religious Zionist Party offices amid budget, cost-of-living tension

According to the group, the protesters went to confront faction head Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich over rising prices and what they describe as misplaced government spending.

|BySARAH BEN-NUN

Knesset holds session to approve state funding on both of Netanyahu's private residences

Shouting matches broke out almost immediately as opposition MKs charged the committee for not caring about the cost of living crisis faced by millions of Israelis.

FEBRUARY 22, 2023ByELIAV BREUER
Head of the Finance committee MK Moshe Gafni leads a Finance committee meeting at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, on January 17, 2023.

Protesters prepare as Knesset readies to bring judicial reform to vote

Bezalel Smotrich: "I am telling you that the person who is to blame for preventing dialogue on the reform is one person, opposition leader Yair Lapid."

FEBRUARY 19, 2023ByELIAV BREUER
An aerial view shows the massive protest on Monday in Jerusalem. A compromise is only possible the moment both sides want it.

Letters to the Editor February 15, 2023: Sore losers

Readers of The Jerusalem Post have their say.

FEBRUARY 15, 2023ByLETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters

Costco invited to open up in Israel by Finance Minister Smotrich

Will Costco be the latest international chain to enter Israel's retail market?

FEBRUARY 5, 2023ByZACHY HENNESSEY
People form a long queue as they wait for the Costco wholesalers to open in Manchester, Britain March 15, 2020.

Israel wants more Western immigrants - aliyah minister

IMMIGRATION AFFAIRS: Israeli Aliyah Minister Ofir Sofer plans to put an emphasis on immigrants from the US and France.

FEBRUARY 3, 2023ByZVIKA KLEIN
ALIYAH AND INTEGRATION Minister Ofir Sofer: There is an assumption that olim from financially established countries don’t need any support or assistance. That isn’t true.

Housing cabinet approved by gov't, to be headed by Minister Goldknopf

The new committee will be granted broad powers to tackle the housing crisis in the country.

JANUARY 30, 2023ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF
Housing and Construction Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf at a change-over ceremony with former Housing Minister Zeev Elkin, January 1, 2023.

Grapevine, January 29, 2023: The limits of freedom

Movers and shakers in Israeli society.

JANUARY 29, 2023ByGREER FAY CASHMAN
PRESIDENT Isaac Herzog with dignitaries of Belgium’s Jewish community at the Great Synagogue of Europe.

14 Days: IDF chief

Israeli news highlights from the past two weeks.

JANUARY 28, 2023BySTEVE LINDE
Herzi Halevi becomes the new IDF chief of staff.

Israel's energy prices are the highest they've been in nine years

"It's time to lower the burden of excise taxes on gasoline."

JANUARY 26, 2023ByYEHUDA SHARONI/MAARIV
A worker fills up a car with fuel at a gas station in Beirut, Lebanon, September 12, 2022.

Dairy costs set to drop amid cost of living crisis

By reducing the cost of milk itself, the Agriculture Ministry aims to reduce the price of all dairy producs as they are all primarily milk-based.

JANUARY 25, 2023ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF
Cows establish a complex social hierarchy that new dairy farmers must manage