Average household expenses are highest in Rishon Letzion – NIS 13,076 ($3,190) per household – while Bat Yam posted the lowest household expenses at NIS 8,251 ($2,015). The wealthiest cities are Tel Aviv, with NIS 5,737 ($1,400) in per person consumption, followed by Rechovot, Be’er Sheva and Ramat Gan. In Bnei Brak per person consumption is lowest at NIS 2,035 ($495) according to a survey by the Central Bureau for Statistics.

The survey covered the 14 largest cities in Israel, with a population of at least 100,000. The national average number of people per household was 3.3. The lowest average is in Tel Aviv with 2.2, whereas Bnei Brak posted the highest with 4.3. The highest number of wage-earners was in Rishon Letzion, with 1.4 per household, compared to Haifa, Bnei Brak and Be’er Sheva, with an average of 1.0. The five poorest cities with the lowest per-household expenses were Bat Yam, Bnei Brak, Ashkelon, Jerusalem and Netanya.

A remarkable but not surprising finding was that Bnei Brak posted the highest percentage of per-family spending on education and culture. Of the five cities where household expenses are the lowest, Bnei Brak led with 13.8 percent of per person consumption devoted to education. In comparison, Bat Yam families spend an average of 9.1 percent, 11.8 percent in Ashkelon and 13.7 percent in Jerusalem.

The rate of spending on education in Bnei Brak also stands out in comparison to wealthy cities: in Rishon Letzion 14.2 percent of household consumption goes toward education and culture and 12.8 percent in Tel Aviv. (It may be that in these cities spending on “culture” exceeds spending on education.)

The section of the survey on food shows spending is highest in Jerusalem, Bat Yam and Bnei Brak, ranging from 17.5 percent to 18 percent, whereas Tel Avivans spend the least — 13.8 percent. Netanyans spend the most on healthcare, 6.8 percent, while in Tel Aviv, Ramat Gan and Rechovot healthcare spending accounts for just 4.7 percent of household expenses, and in Bnei Brak 5.4 percent.

The national average spent on transportation and communications comes to 20.7 percent. In Holon 23.1 percent of household expenses were directed toward transportation and communications, compared to 12.3 percent in Bnei Brak, a disproportionately low figure considering that the next lowest spending in this category was in Jerusalem, where 17.6 percent is spent and over 18 percent in all the other cities surveyed.

The average spending on housing was 21.4 percent. The most is spent in Tel Aviv, where housing costs an average of NIS 3,337 ($815), followed by Jerusalem with NIS 2,537 ($620), NIS 1,947 ($475) in Haifa and a mere NIS 1,541 ($375) in Be’er Sheva. Of all families in Israel 69.5 percent own an apartment and the average apartment value is NIS 800,000 ($195,000). One-fourth of the population rents. In Tel Aviv 45.7 percent rent, compared to 15 percent in Ashkelon. The highest rent was in Rishon Letzion at NIS 2,502 ($610) per month and the lowest in Be’er Sheva at NIS 801 ($195).

The survey contains fascinating findings on ownership of household appliances. Bnei Brak residents led in two categories: 71.2 percent own a combined oven/range (compared to a national average around the 50 percent mark) and 39 percent own a freezer, compared to a national average of 18.5 percent. On the other hand Bnei Brak residents are the least likely to own computer equipment, and communications and entertainment devices. The cell-phone ownership rate in Bnei Brak is also the lowest at 70 percent, compared to a national average of 87 percent and 90.6 percent in Rishon Letzion. In Jerusalem the rate is 84.6 percent. Over half of all households surveyed own at least two cell phones, with a national average of 62 percent and in Jerusalem and Bnei Brak 50 percent. Ninety percent of Bnei Brak homes have a landline, compared to a national average of 85 percent. Holon has the most landlines with 93 percent of households.

An average of 60 percent of all households surveyed owned at least one car. Rishon Letzion residents held the record with 75.4 percent, compared to one-fourth of Bnei Brak residents and 45.8 percent of Jerusalemites. About of 82 percent of Israelis own a microwave oven. Clothes dryers are still much less common, with a national average of 37.4 percent. Jerusalemites were the most likely to own a dryer at 46.3 percent, whereas in Bat Yam only 23.5 percent of residents own a dryer.

On the other hand Jerusalemites are the least likely to have an air conditioner – just 30 percent – compared to a national average of 68.5 percent, led by Ramat Gan, where 87 percent of households have an air conditioner. Bnei Brak is not far behind with 82 percent.

(Source: Dei’ah veDibur)