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

Fix Israel's high prices, cost of living with true free-market system - opinion

The real issue in the Israeli market is that it is not a capitalist system but an oligopoly.

JANUARY 25, 2023ByIBRAHIM ABU AHMAD, HILLEL PORTUGAIS-DE ALMEIDA
A CUSTOMER shops for groceries at a Rami Levy supermarket branch, in Jerusalem.

What are the challenges facing Israel's new government? - opinion

The government will have to deal not only with correcting past defects but mainly with pressing political-security related issues and economic-social matters.

JANUARY 23, 2023ByZALMAN SHOVAL
PRIME MINISTER Benjamin Netanyahu arrives for a weekly cabinet meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem, on Sunday.

Israeli import reforms to bring greater variety to store shelves in 2023

Israelis can expect more variety on store shelves in 2023 due to import reforms that hope to increase market competition and reduce the cost of living.

JANUARY 23, 2023ByZACHY HENNESSEY
Consumers at a supermarket, illustration

Hundreds of thousands of Israelis could be laid off without change

The Manufacturers' Association of Israel has warned that if the situation doesn't drastically change, hundreds of thousands of employees will be laid off.

JANUARY 19, 2023ByYEHUDA SHARONI/MAARIV
Independent business owners and workers from the tourism sector protest, calling for financial support from the Israeli government, outside the Ben Gurion International Airport, on December 13, 2021

Gov't's economic plan ‘smokescreen to hide seizure of power’ -Merav Michaeli

“Spoiler: Mr. ‘Cost of Living’ won't deal with the cost of living, just like he won't really deliver free education,” Michaeli wrote.

JANUARY 12, 2023ByZACHY HENNESSEY
Merav Michaeli at the Maariv conference,

Netanyahu, Smotrich announce plan to combat cost of living in Israel

The new government’s plan includes utility price cuts, boosted stipends and stable gas price in order to stop the rising cost of living in Israel.

JANUARY 11, 2023ByZACHY HENNESSEY
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and FInance Minister Bezalel Smotrich present the government's financial plan on January 11, 2023

Grapevine: Hanging downtown

Movers and shakers in Israeli society

JANUARY 7, 2023ByGREER FAY CASHMAN
Israelis protest against the soaring housing prices in Tel Aviv and cost of living, on July 2, 2022.

Israel's new gov't will not prevent rising gas prices

Two days after the swearing in of the new government, gas prices and costs of other commodities increased.

JANUARY 6, 2023ByYEHUDA SHARONI/MAARIV
Illustration image of a man fueling his car at a gas station, in Jerusalem, on June 28, 2022.

Israel's Lapid-Bennett gov't was lax on economy - Netanyahu, Smotrich

Avigdor Liberman presented a poster showing that the rise in food prices over the past year in Israel was the lowest in the OECD.

JANUARY 2, 2023ByELIAV BREUER
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seen walking in the Knesset, in Jerusalem, on January 2, 2023.

The future of Israel's Youth on Fire – interviewing Hadar Muchtar

While often ignored by adults, as many do not use the platform, Hadar Muchtar quickly rose to be Israel’s TikTok star of choice among Israel’s pre-voting population

DECEMBER 30, 2022ByGIL LEWINSKY
Hadar Muchtar