Tel Aviv on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Tel Aviv is hard but not impossible on a budget. Allow about ₪350 a day per person for a hostel, street food, a museum or tour and public transport.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | ₪180 | ₪450 | ₪1,000 |
| Food & drink | ₪120 | ₪250 | ₪450 |
| Sights & tickets | ₪30 | ₪90 | ₪200 |
| Local transport | ₪20 | ₪50 | ₪120 |
| Per person, per day | ₪350 | ₪840 | ₪1,770 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Tel Aviv day-cost table.
Free things to do
- The beaches, from Gordon to Jaffa
- The Tayelet beachfront promenade
- The Bauhaus buildings of the White City (a UNESCO World Heritage Site)
- Old Jaffa's alleys and the port
- Carmel Market (free to browse)
- Rothschild Boulevard and the Neve Tzedek neighbourhood
Cheap eats
- Falafel in pita: roughly ₪20–28
- Sabich: roughly ₪25–32
- Hummus plate: roughly ₪30–45
- Malawach or jachnun: roughly ₪25–40
- Sesame bagel from Jaffa's bakery: about ₪5–10
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in hostels near the beach, Florentin and Jaffa, with dorm beds roughly ₪100–180.
Getting around cheaply
Use buses and the light rail with a Rav-Kav card or app. Trains from Ben Gurion Airport reach central Tel Aviv in about 15–20 minutes for a fraction of a taxi fare (no trains on Shabbat).
A sample budget day
- Morning: Carmel Market and Neve Tzedek (free)
- Lunch: hummus with pita, about ₪35
- Afternoon: beach and the promenade walk to Jaffa (free)
- Evening: falafel and a beer in Florentin, about ₪60
- Total: about ₪350 including a hostel bed
More ways to save
- Take the train from the airport instead of a taxi.
- Use the free beaches and promenade for most of your time.
- Buy food at the market for picnic dinners.
- Stay in hostels with free breakfast.
- Plan day trips for Sunday to Thursday, when public transport runs.
- Drink at happy hours, common in many bars in the early evening.
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Common questions
How much do I need per day?
About ₪350 per person: ₪180 for a bed, ₪120 for food, ₪30 for sights and ₪20 for transport.
What is free in Tel Aviv?
The beaches, the promenade, the White City's Bauhaus buildings, Old Jaffa and Carmel Market.
How do I get from the airport cheaply?
Take the train to central Tel Aviv, about 15–20 minutes, except on Shabbat.