Westerners often have an unpleasant impression about the entire region of Middle East in general. There have been enough conflicts in modern history to easily color that popular opinion. However, if one has to choose a Middle Eastern Country that breaks through the barriers of bad stereotype, that country would be Israel. Culturally speaking, Western civilization has been predominantly influenced by Judeo-Christian principles.
But politics aside, Israel is a country that is worthy of the attention given by many of its avid visitors. Although there are many reasons to visit this country, it would not take a genius to guess that a religious pilgrimage often tops the list by comparison. After all, Jerusalem was not called The Holy City for hundreds of years for nothing. Speaking of history, Israel is also a geographic gallery for academic explorers – for which their scholastic thirst is best quenched by visiting the key local destinations such as The Dead Sea, Negev Desert, Caesarea’s Roman Ruins, and Masada Stronghold to name a few.
Interestingly, its people are more mystifying than the place they built. For one thing, Israel is the only country in the world where Starbucks failed in the face of the unwavering patronage for pseudo-Italian kosher coffee (not that ordinary Cup of Joe, eh?). Israel is also the home of Krav Maga – the deadliest and most efficient self-defense program in the world, responsible for arming both civilians and soldiers with the combat-readiness to deal with ongoing terrorist threats.
Israel is a nation that is an exotic jewel by itself. Many people around the world are drawn to this country; not despite, but because of its strangeness. Such charm would often prompt outsiders to save and invest for that unique journey.
USA to Israel Flight
Speaking of investment, the first thing prospective travelers must ponder is the travel fare. So how much does it cost to go to Israel? The El-Al Airlines web page provides a standard reference for international travelers, particularly those flying from the United States. It is important to take note that actual costs may vary depending on the schedule, the number of passengers and the airline category. Here are the examples of cost projections for single adult passengers of economy class flights (effective between April 19 and April 27):
$560 – $1,300: New York to Tel Aviv-Jaffo
$890 – $2,270: Los Angeles to Tel Aviv-Jaffo
$580 – $1,112: Boston to Tel Aviv-Jaffo
$890 – $1,502: Austin to Tel Aviv-Jaffo
Overall Average Daily Cost
The plane ticket fee is just one thing. Another crucial factor to consider when it comes to the entire Israel vacation cost is the overall average daily spending. A website called Budget Your Trip features how much money one would be spending per day throughout their stay in the country. The estimate generally accounts for the accommodation, food, water, local transportation, entertainment, service tips, intercity transportation, alcoholic beverages, and even the possible amount of money lost from theft and other contingencies.
It is important to understand, however, that these cost projections do not always reflect the actual expenses for all travelers. Personal expenditure is always relative to the kind of temporary lifestyle one would adapt while staying in Israel. Hence, it is even possible to avoid spending in some aspects altogether based on a particular travel habit and philosophy.
Budget: $41 per day
Mid-range: $99 per day
Luxury: $228 per day
Accommodation
A more pressing inquiry than “how much does it cost to go to Israel?” is “how much does it cost to live in Israel?” Curiously, between the two questions, the latter proves to be more meaningful in many ways. Apart from gaining practical information itself, any traveler could get a vague idea of the cost of living for each citizen in various economic levels.
One of the first steps of relating with the inhabitants is choosing a temporary home in their land. The two most prevalent choices are either boarding houses or luxury hotels. The former helps travelers easily interact with the grassroots of society. The latter enables tourists to identify with the local social elites. The following price ranges below reflects the rate charged in Tel Aviv, as quoted by the website called Price of Travel.
Hostel Beds: $23.65 – $30.00
The well-known Hayarkon 48 (Tel Aviv) is just one of the top 5 hostels in the country mentioned by the travel site called Tourist Israel. Other quality boarding houses mentioned include the following: Post Hostel (Jerusalem), Green Backpackers (Negev), Golan Heights Hostel (Golan Heights), Juha’s Guest House (Jizr-az-Zarqa).
Luxury Hotels: $234 – $450
When it comes to choosing world class hotels in Israel, it is advisable to consider the newest. After all, they started with the latest trends and HRM principles in the market. Tourist Israel has named the four newly constructed resort lodgings as of 2016. The short list includes the following: The Poli Hotel (Tel Aviv), The Post (Jerusalem), W Hotel (Tel Aviv-Jaffo), and Isrotel: German Colony (Jerusalem).
Transportation
A huge portion of the total daily activity in foreign countries involves sightseeing, and Israel is no different in that particular regard. One of the most highly recommended transportation deals is called ‘private transfers.’ Global service providers like Flo Shuttle offer exclusive chauffeuring service at a lowest fixed rate of $15. Most importantly, these arrangements are amenable for both local and inter-city distances.
Local Tour
A trip to Israel costs far more than the trip to Israel, and even more so within one municipal area. Walking is a highly recommended method of getting around the city given its popularity among proponents of daytime group tours. It costs roughly $8 to get around the city via taxi. Local bus rides cost around $3 at most.
Intercity Excursion
Buses are one of the most recommendable modes of transportation from one city to another. According to Tourist Israel, the longest bus ride (between Haifa and Eilat) only costs $19. Another cheaper alternative is via train ride. The website Traveling Israel quotes the average train fare between Tel Aviv and Haifa at merely $9.
However, both means options often pale in comparison to the local shuttles called ‘sheruts’ in terms of convenience. Traveling to a city center via ‘sherut’ costs $9.78 to $18.79 while specific destinations cost anywhere between $15.25 and $29.39. People who prefer to keep their inter-city trips by themselves (because they could be the bashful type of loners), renting a car at $35 per day is an option, plus $1.5 worth of extra liter of gas.
Food & Drink
In terms of proper budget allocation of the whole trip to Israel cost, the most crucial area is often dedicated to food and drink. While a person can do without spending a coin for sightseeing, no one can have any hope of staying healthy by skipping meals. Incidentally, food and drink are more taxing to assess considering how a person’s varying tastes determine different food choices.
Most meals in every restaurant menu have an average price range $20 to $50. Ordinarily, budget travelers would consider such cost to be very steep. One of the best options for cheaper dining is buying foodstuff and ingredients from the local market. In Jerusalem, the Machane Yehuda public market is a labyrinth of stalls that sells at a bargain price. Fortunately, every bustling city in Israel has something just like it. DIY has often saved people’s wallets in most situations, and cooking one’s meals in Israel is no different.
For travelers who neither have the time nor the patience to prepare their own food, dining in the streets is the most viable option. Staple national entrees like hummus and falafel are extraordinarily cheap, costing as little as $2.72. As for the drinks, here are the following ordinary beverages and their worth: water ($2), juice ($2.72), and coffee ($5.43) – the latter available at cafes considered to be ‘better than Starbucks.’
Entertainment & Nightlife
When it really comes down to fun-filled Israel vacation cost, the budget spent on recreation is often a luxury worth every penny. Israel may be famous for its Holy City, but this country (like any civilized nation) has relatively loose regulations in terms of enjoying the land’s worldly pleasures. In fact, the neighboring commercial and nightlife capital of Tel-Aviv has often been dubbed as the nation’s ‘Sin City’ (so much for juxtaposition with Jerusalem).
Speaking of worldly pleasure, Israel has some of the finest pubs and bars in the Middle East and Mediterranean regions. The usual cost for a pint of craft beer is roughly around $6 to $9. A glass of wine, on the other hand, is much cheaper costing around $4 to $7.
For travelers who prefer to keep their body and spirits ‘uncorrupted’ throughout their vacation period, a wholesome alternative of having fun is simply hanging out at national parks and heritage attractions. The usual entrance fee in these tourist attractions is around $7 to $8. For a more sophisticated and erudite sightseeing, Israel’s museums are a more viable option at a much higher fee. The average entrance fee in national galleries is usually around $13.9
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