Comfortable Weather
#5
of 124 cities
88/100 weather score
Current value
#54 of 124
Middle East
Tel Aviv-Yafo
Israel
Salary & Cost of Living
How do salaries and expenses in Tel Aviv-Yafo compare to Amsterdam?
Purchasing Power Comparison
An engineer in Tel Aviv-Yafo is 30% better off vs in Amsterdam
This shows how far a software engineer's salary goes in Tel Aviv-Yafo compared to Amsterdam, taking into account both salary differences and cost of living.
Net Salary
$81,305
+$16K (+24%) vs Amsterdam
Tax Rate: 38%
Community Insights
NewTel Aviv remains the undisputed technological heart of the Middle East and one of the few places outside the US that genuinely feels like a global tech powerhouse. For software engineers, it offers a high-octane environment where the work is cutting-edge and the salaries are competitive on a global scale. However, this comes at a steep price—literally and emotionally. The city is notoriously expensive (often ranking higher than New York or Zurich in cost of living metrics) and housing quality is often poor relative to the cost.
The lifestyle is a study in contrasts: you might start your day with a swim in the Mediterranean and end it in a bomb shelter, only to go out for incredible food afterwards. The "Silicon Wadi" spirit creates a work culture that is informal, loud, and incredibly fast-paced. Recent years have added layers of complexity with political unrest and war, yet the tech sector remains the economy's engine. It is a city that demands resilience but rewards it with deep social connections and professional opportunities found nowhere else in the region.
Resident Sentiment
Current residents express a intense love-hate relationship with the city. There is a fierce pride in the "Tel Aviv bubble"—its liberalism, its vegan food scene, and its unshakeable energy—but this is increasingly tempered by exhaustion. Long-time residents complain bitterly about the untenable cost of housing and the feeling that the city is becoming a playground for the rich only.
Since the recent conflicts, there is a palpable layer of heaviness and anxiety regarding the future, with discussions about "brain drain" and relocation to Europe becoming more common on forums. However, the prevailing sentiment is still one of deep attachment; many expats who leave eventually return because they find other tech hubs "boring" or "sterile" in comparison to Tel Aviv's chaotic warmth.
Rankings
Top 4%
Community Events
#6
of 124 cities
16 events on luma
Current value
Safety Index
#22
of 124 cities
74.1/100
Current value
Housing Affordability
How affordable is housing for a software engineer in Tel Aviv-Yafo compared to Amsterdam?
Avg. Property Price
$16,927 / m²
86% more expensive than Amsterdam
Salary Converter
Enter your annual gross salary (before taxes) to see what you would need to earn in Tel Aviv-Yafo to maintain the same standard of living.
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