Jerusalem - Post Report Question and Answers
How would you describe the availability and cost of groceries and household supplies relative to your home country?
Groceries are expensive (but it seems things are that way back home these days as well). Some personal care items (Neosporin, steroid creams/Cortizone) are considered behind-the-counter prescription medications. Some American snack foods are hard to find (though they have their own lines of Doritos flavors, which makes for fun souvenirs). Produce is seasonal and mostly local, meaning one can only get fresh strawberries in spring, grapes in fall... but everything tastes better on account of it. Some veggies are really hard to find any time of year including brussel sprouts, plantains, and asparagus. Good looking broccoli is also a rarity. Pork and bacon can be purchased in the Russian delis. - Sep 2024
Suddenly, Israel is cheaper than the US due to world-wide inflation. Pretty much all groceries are readily available. Imported items are very expensive. Uncut, unprepared, fresh fruits and vegetables are available in abundance, delicious, fresh, and very affordable. There are shortages once or twice a year of certain items due to what's going on in the country. One year there was a butter shortage. Another year, there was an egg shortage. Another time a chicken shortage. The Ministry of Economy sets standards for a number of price-controlled foods, and because imports are limited, those foods are most likely to face shortages. These shortages are usually resolved within a few weeks. so if you have a dietary issue where you need to have a certain item all of the time, stock up--otherwise, you can normally live without these items for a few weeks. Here is the list of price-controlled items: https://www.gov.il/en/departments/dynamiccollectors/food-price-control-search?skip=0. If you are looking to save money, shop from this list, plus fresh fruits and vegetables. - Nov 2022
Expensive and very seasonal, but everything is available if you know where to go. There are non-Kosher butchers that sell sausage and pork products including bacon, there are a couple of stores that sell various American products, and at least 2 boutiques that have asian and mexican products. Shopping can be an all-day affair, but you can get what you want. - Oct 2019
VERY expensive. I spend about $200 per week on meat, dairy and organic produce for 2 adults. Anything processed and imported is very expensive and the local stuff is expensive too and not our favorite. Most produce is grown locally and is seasonal which means it is always delicious! Produce here is great, and you can find all the normal stuff as well as exotic stuff like dragon fruit and lychee. Lemons are available year-round but limes are seasonal so we freeze them for year-round margaritas. - Aug 2018
Similar in price to NY, but produce is more seasonal; you can't really decide what you want to make so much as go to the store and see what looks best. Household supplies are available, but American brands are more expensive. We are not fond of the local brands, so we order our supplies from Amazon. - Apr 2018
Groceries are expensive. More so than western Europe or DC Metro area. But I can find almost everything I want to find. Some items I must mail order through Amazon or Walmart or from family members, but there is not really much in regard to groceries that cannot be found. Sometimes you just have to ask.
Grocery stores are small -- like little Mom & Pop corner grocers -- but they are everywhere and almost every one has an little shop they can stop at to buy milk or bread or cheese. The only issue would be that many are closed on Shabbat (sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday). But you can go to East Jerusalem or just plan ahead. You get used to it. - Dec 2016
Everything is available, but not necessarily all year long. Many fruits and vegetables are seasonal. By and large groceries are expensive. - Aug 2015
Groceries are expensive. Expect to pay at least ~30 percent more than in the U.S. Fresh fruits and vegetables are not taxed, so they are a little better. There are lots of supermarkets, though they are often a little run-down by U.S. standards and the local staff is often gruff. There are many interesting Israeli foods that are worth trying. - Aug 2015
Everything here seemed really expensive. I saw a box of cereal for about US$12. Fresh fruit and veggies depending on the kind and can be relatively inexpensive unless they are shipped in. The butchers are awesome and chicken and beef are fairly priced. You will have a larger grocery bill no matter what though - so be prepared..:) - May 2015
Everything is very expensive here. You will spend a fortune on groceries and household items. A box of cereal is about US$8 compared to US$4 in the States. American brands are more expensive. A typical dinner for two with drinks will cost you about US$125. - Mar 2014
You can find almost anything here, but again, expect to pay 2 or 3 times more. A box of Barilla pasta costs between US$4 to 5. Fresh produce can be good quality but there's not so much variety. The fruits in season are very very good and you can find amazing pomegranates. One thing you have to be aware of is that last year there was some information released to the Consulate community about Israel's pesticide use being one of the highest in Western countries with pesticides that are banned in Europe. See report here: http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/green-group-says-105-pesticides-taint-israeli-fruit-and-vegetables-1.475432 - Aug 2013
You can find nearly everything here, with a few small grocery stores specializing in imported products. Prices are comparable to western Europe, probably due in part to the 18% VAT, which diplomats can get refunded. Fruits and vegetables are not as expensive, and they are generally high quality. Breads, pastries, and prepared coffee is particularly good here. - Jul 2013
As expensive or more so than some of European countries. - Feb 2009
