10 Best Places to Retire in Israel

In case you are looking to spend your retirement days somewhere in the Middle East, we recommend checking out our list of best places to retire in Israel. The country has the highest standard of living in the region and is placed third in the whole of Asia. The downside is high costs of living in the country and high possibility of terrorist attacks.

High standard of living is contributed by one of the best and most technologically advanced healthcare systems in the world. According to Bloomberg, Israel’s healthcare system is ranked on the 7th place by efficiency in the world. This rank still represents a downfall since 2009 when the country was ranked 4th. According to Israeli Medical Association, the country had 3.43 physicians per 1,000 people or 25,850 in total. The number of hospital beds is low and stands at 1.87 beds per 1,000. The great thing is that healthcare is free for all citizens and residents.  There are 4 non-profit organizations that deal with health insurance and you can choose the one that fits your needs the best. There is also an option to choose private health insurance.

The United States Overseas Security Advisory Council Crime and Safety report from 2017 tells us you should be careful about residential burglaries, vehicle thefts and petty thefts which are common for all places in Israel. However, violent and street crimes are uncommon. The thing that should worry you the most is Israel being labeled as the high-threat location for terrorism activity. This is due to ongoing Israel – Palestine conflict and overall instability in the region including the war in Syria. Israel’s major cities like Be’er Sheva and Jerusalem suffered from terrorist related attacks with casualties in 2016. If this is too much for you, maybe you should turn to Europe and check out our list of 10 Best Places to Retire in Spain.

Now, you must be wondering how we created our list of best places to retire in Israel. First, we took recommendations from various sources like Expat Focus and The Wall Street Journal among others. The majority of the recommendations focused on four or five bigger cities in the country, while for some recommended places like Ra’anana we couldn’t get enough information. This is why we supplemented the recommendations with other Israel’s high profile cities. The cities were ranked and given points according to the cost of living index taken from Numbeo and hospital to population ratio (Google Maps) while taking into consideration the temperature averages through the year (World Weather Online). We summed it all up into our IM Score and got the list. We usually take into consideration the rainy and sunny days averages as well, but this time we only listed them since there was no big difference between the destinations.  For a better understanding of the displayed information about each place, we should note that cost of living index is comparable to 100.00, which is the index of New York. The hospital to population ratio determines, in theory, how many people from the entire city’s population are assigned to one private/public hospital. Finally, the weather information represents the highest and lowest average in the year. Let’s take a look at our list of best places to retire in Israel.  

10. Rehovot

IM Score: 9
Cost of Living Index: 91.52
Hospital to Population Ratio: 66,335
Temperature: 62/88°F
Rainy Days: 0/20
Sunny Days: 11/31

The thing that makes Rehovot attractive is the fact that the city isn’t crowded and will enable you to lead a calmer life if that is what you wish for. Still, you will be just 20 miles away from the city’s administrative center Tel Aviv and the Mediterranean Sea.

9. Hod Hasharon

IM Score: 10
Cost of Living Index: 103.65
Hospital to Population Ratio: 18,886
Temperature: 61/90°F
Rainy Days: 0/19
Sunny Days: 11/31

The things said for Rehovot are also applicable to Hod Hasharon, the next one on the list of best places to retire in Israel, with the exception that the later one is pricier. Living here will be even more expensive than in New York. Residents are well educated and Hod Hasharon is a home to a large number of English speakers. The city also has a local country club and numerous sport and recreational facilities.

8. Bat Yam

IM Score: 13
Cost of Living Index: 90.99
Hospital to Population Ratio: 12,889
Temperature: 62/88°F
Rainy Days: 0/20
Sunny Days: 11/31

If you want more coastline cities, don’t worry, our list of best places to retire in Israel has plenty. Bat Yam is also in proximity of Tel Aviv and has amazing beaches. In the recent years, the city has seen increased investments in building new and upgrading old facilities, trying to attract more residents and tourists. Maybe it would be smart to get there before the word spreads out and everything becomes more expensive.

7. Hadera

IM Score: 13
Cost of Living Index: 79.31
Hospital to Population Ratio: 80,200
Temperature: 61/91°F
Rainy Days: 0/21
Sunny Days: 8/31

Located on the coastline of Mediterranean Sea, Hadera will be perfect for those looking to cool off on a sunny day. If you want to retire in Israel but you are on a budget, Hadera is the city with the lowest cost of living index on our list. In case you want to pass on beaches, there is a forest near the city that offers lots of recreational opportunities and will suit those who enjoy in natural attractions.

6. Tel Aviv – Yafo

IM Score: 13
Cost of Living Index: 88.35
Hospital to Population Ratio: 54,111
Temperature: 61/90°F
Rainy Days: 0/19
Sunny Days: 11/31

If there is still some fire in you, then don’t look further. Tel Aviv – Yafo, the number 6 on our list of best places to retire in Israel is known as “city that never sleeps” and is widely considered the “party capital” of Israel. If you are done partying for this lifetime, then you can turn to other cultural attractions the city offers like monuments, festivals, galleries and much more. For those who like to enjoy in different cuisines, the city’s Carmel Market offers a variety of local and international specialties.

5. Ramat Gan

IM Score: 14
Cost of Living Index: 82.10
Hospital to Population Ratio: 76,298
Temperature: 61/90°F
Rainy Days: 0/19
Sunny Days: 11/31

We will stay in Tel Aviv District but in a greener environment. You will be able to spend your days walking through parks since more than 25% of the city is covered in public parkland. The city is well maintained with lots of cultural and recreational attractions. The interesting thing about this place is that Ramat Gan is widely considered to be one of the “diamond capitals” of the world.

4. Jerusalem

IM Score: 16
Cost of Living Index: 84.84
Hospital to Population Ratio: 57,214
Temperature: 54/90°F
Rainy Days: 0/13
Sunny Days: 17/31

In case you are a religious person, you’ll find no better place than Jerusalem, the next on our list of best places to retire in Israel as your retirement destination. Jerusalem is considered to be a holy city in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Besides the religious importance, the city has a great cultural significance and is home to numerous artistic venues. There is something for everyone since Jerusalem offers you both the quiet neighborhoods and neighborhoods that are buzzing with life.

3. Nazareth

IM Score: 20
Cost of Living Index: 89.84
Hospital to Population Ratio: 12,621
Temperature: 49/83°F
Rainy Days: 1/20
Sunny Days: 9/26

If you want to be in a city with good healthcare, Nazareth offers the best hospital to population ratio on our list. According to the New Testament, the city is the birthplace of Jesus Christ and due to this fact, it became a center of Christian pilgrimage.  Unlike other cities on our list of best places to retire in Israel, Nazareth doesn’t have a majority of the Jewish population but is predominately inhabited by Arab Muslims and Christians. It shouldn’t be confused with the city of Nazareth Illit, inhabited with the Jewish population.

2. Beersheba (Be’er Sheva)

IM Score: 20
Cost of Living Index: 83.77
Hospital to Population Ratio: 18,509
Temperature: 58/91°F
Rainy Days: 0/11
Sunny Days: 21/31

Located in the Negev desert, Beersheba is the fastest growing city in Israel and there is a good reason for that. It is well connected with all parts of the country, offers high quality of life and there are lots of things to do. Beersheba has a rich cultural life, but also offers you recreational opportunities like hiking. The city has a large expat community, so you’ll be warmly welcomed as an outsider and transition will be easier especially if you don’t speak Hebrew.

1. Haifa

IM Score: 25
Cost of Living Index: 79.62
Hospital to Population Ratio: 17,431
Temperature: 60/89°F
Rainy Days: 0/23
Sunny Days: 6/28

Haifa tops our list of best places to retire in Israel and everything points out that this should be your top pick for a retirement destination. It is one of the most advanced cities in the country and has Israel’s only subway so transportation won’t be a problem. It gets better. Being located on the coast of Mediterranean Sea, Haifa offers pleasant climate unlike some desert parts of the country. Haifa has beautiful beaches and is surrounded by mountains and forests being a perfect residential destination for nature lovers. It has a second lowest cost of living and 3rd best hospital to population ratio. Top that with recreational, artistic and cultural attractions and it shouldn’t be hard for you to picture yourself there. Also, we shouldn’t forget to mention that Shrine of the Báb and Bahá’í World Centre (associated with Bahá’í Faith) are located in the city.