Jerusalem on 10,000 per month?

amother

Sun, Jul 24 2011, 8:11 pm

Hi! We are making aliyah in a few months. DH will be in the army for the first couple of years. Between the army and help from my parents we will have 10,000 NIS per month. DH plans to supplement his army income with a part time job (the army is only half a day), but of course that is not guaranteed. I am willing to work any job, but I don't think I will be employable for a while because my Hebrew is not good right now (I plan to do ulpan right away) and we are also ttc, so if do get pregnant, iyh, unless I can work from home I don't know who would hire me until after the baby is born.
So basically the only guaranteed income we have is 10,000 per month (plus NBN grants for the first 6 months). We have one toddler. I would really prefer to live in Jerusalem, and we are looking at less expensive neighborhoods like Baka and Gilo. We have added up the numbers and it seems doable, but of course it's really hard to predict exactly what our expenses are going to be and to factor in all the incidentals that inevitably come up.
So my question is, is it conceivable that we would be able to live in Jerusalem on 10,000 a month or is it totally unrealistic? By live I mean not luxuriously but also not desperately counting each penny. I guess I am just looking for reassurance since I'm starting to stress out about it.
Thanks in advance!

Dev80

Mon, Jul 25 2011, 3:24 am

We're a couple with one on the way and we probably live on more like 7,000/8,000 a month. But, just know that expenses DO come up, especially when you first get here you'll need a little extra just to get started. The aliyah money definitely helps with getting set up and the unexpected expenses. But, I think it is realistic. What neighborhoods in Jerusalem are you interested in?

ewa-jo

Mon, Jul 25 2011, 4:45 am

I think it's definitely doable -unless you do something silly like buy a car. Most of us manage quite well with buses and taking cabs when needed. I take my double-stroller on the bus all the time (with a big toddler and a small toddler) and it's fine. Most grocery stores will deliver for a minimal fee and if you're living in Jerusalem, most things that you need will either be within walking distance or a bus ride away.

Like other people said, Baka is not-so-cheap. You might try Arnona... it's close to Baka, but a little further out but more affordable. Gilo is cheaper - it's a little remote, but they have good buses. You will need to put down a sizeable deposit when you sign a rental contract though... usually 3 months or something. And if you need furniture/appliances/home stuff you can buy nice stuff for a good price from someone who is moving if you look on www.janglo.net

Depending on what your job training is, you may be able to manage with limited Hebrew skills. But yeah, it is preferable to get a good grasp of the language when you first arrive.

amother

Mon, Jul 25 2011, 4:58 am

We have one baby and live on a bit under 10,000. We do not count pennies at all. It really depends on your lifestyle. I think 10,000 could totally be enough. We pay 4200 ren and the rest of our money goes to bills, food, and transportation. There are cheaper apts and there are more expensive apts. Do you plan to buy? Are you the type that goes out to eat twice a week? We don't do that on a regular basis. We mostly take buses or walk because it's cheaper. But we do eat lots of chicken/meat and buy whatever we want when we do grocery shopping.

Israeli Mother

Mon, Jul 25 2011, 6:46 am

It depends on how you wish to live. Israeli couples with one child live on a lot less than 10,000 shekels a month. My daughter [one child, husband in kollel, she works full time] lives on less than 5,000 shekels a month, but they are Israeli and live like Israelis and not like wealthy Americans.

How do Israelis live? No car, take buses everywhere, buy all their food at grocery stores [almost never eat in restaurants in other words], almost never take a cab unless someone is in late stages of labor in the middle of the night, live in small apartments in mostly Israeli Hebrew speaking neighborhoods, eat an Israeli/Mediterranean diet, don't have a bezeq line [only cell], use an electric clothes dryer sparingly, buy clothes at gemachim, etc.

How do wealthy Americans live? Drive a car [gas is a fortune] or take cabs everywhere or at least a lot, eat out at restaurants at will, eat mostly American foods and American brands of foods, require large apartments in expensive English speaking neighborhoods, use a dryer instead of line drying clothes, buy things at stores instead of gemachim, etc.

anonymrs

Mon, Jul 25 2011, 7:22 am

Israeli Mother wrote:

wow!! you are making lots of assumptions!!! I am American, I dont drive a car, I rarely take cabs, I eat out at restaurants maybe once in 4 months, I buy very few American foods or brands, only things that I dont like Israeli brands like ketchup and mayo. I almost never use use my electric clothes dryer.

Oh, and my parents didnt remortgage their own home for the fifth time or borrow money to buy me an apartment, so yes, I pay rent.

And I know plenty of people that live similar lifestyle.

Tamiri

Mon, Jul 25 2011, 7:40 am

Israeli Mother wrote:

Most of the Israelis I know live the way you describe Americans and a lot of the Americans I know live the way you describe Israelis. Wow! Just as a PSA - all those people positively FILLING the restaurants in the Greater Tel Aviv area (think: Tel Aviv, Raanana, Herzelya, Petach Tikva) are for sure not Americans. Israelis eat out! Oh, and all those cars clogging the roads? I truly doubt they are all driven by Americans etc.

curlgirl

Mon, Jul 25 2011, 7:47 am

Tamiri wrote:

with the bolded.

I work in a 100% Israeli environment and a 95% secular one.
Everyone has a car, most couples have 2 cars, they all eat out and buy tons of stuff.
(Spoil their kids rotten Rolling Eyes

)

I, the religious mitnachelet, stand out for having only one car, spending so much less and (BH BH) not being in overdraft because of all the peer pressures.

Israeli Mother, maybe what you descibe is true for Chareidi/ chardal-type circles?

cinnamon

Mon, Jul 25 2011, 8:01 am

curlgirl wrote:

Tamiri wrote:

with the bolded.

Israeli Mother, maybe what you descibe is true for Chareidi/ chardal-type circles?

Not true for chareidi either, generally if you live on one small paycheck you live the way IM described israelis and if you have two paycheck/one big one you live the way IM described americans. It has nothing to do with nationality or religiouse affiliation.

curlgirl

Mon, Jul 25 2011, 8:08 am

cinnamon wrote:

curlgirl wrote:

Tamiri wrote:

with the bolded.

Israeli Mother, maybe what you descibe is true for Chareidi/ chardal-type circles?

So the question is: Will 10,000 in Y-m provide a lifestyle more like the first or more like the second?