A six-criteria method for comparing Israel’s regions before choosing where to live — and where to buy.
Choosing your region in Israel means choosing a way of life. The country is small, but the differences between the centre, Jerusalem, the coast and the North are considerable. Here is a simple method for comparing them.
1. The pace of life
Big city, medium-sized town or village? Tel Aviv and the centre offer energy and jobs; Jerusalem, its unique identity; the coast (Netanya, Ashdod…) is home to many French-speaking families; the North and the Galilee offer space and nature.
2. Budget and type of home
Prices vary widely from one region to another. For the same budget, moving away from the centre often gives you more space — a house with a garden rather than an apartment, for example. Compare real properties, including purchase costs.
3. Family life day to day
Schools, synagogues and community life, shops, activities: list what needs to be within walking distance, and what can be a few minutes’ drive away.
4. Healthcare
Identify the hospitals and medical centres in the region. Around the Sea of Galilee, for example, the Tzafon Medical Center (Poriya) lies between Tiberias and Poria Illit.
5. Travel
Your workplace, Ben Gurion Airport for trips back and forth to Europe, family members already settled: estimate real journey times, at the times of day you will be travelling.
6. Language and integration
Some towns have large French-speaking communities, which makes the early days easier; other regions offer fuller immersion. Both approaches have their advantages.
And the Sea of Galilee?
For those seeking nature, light and a calmer pace, the lake region — the town of Tiberias, the village of Poria Illit, the villages of Galilee — deserves consideration. See Why choose the Sea of Galilee and the Galilee.
Official sources and references
- Israel’s Ministry of Aliyah and Integration: gov.il
