City of Tel Aviv

Housing in the Tel Aviv Area

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Tel Aviv is a small city, but it is a city of distinct neighbourhoods with distinct feels. Neighbourhoods in northern Tel Aviv tend to be more upscale and expensive, while those in southern Tel Aviv have a bit more of an alternative feel to them and tend to be less expensive.

As mentioned on our general housing page, Yad2.co.il and Facebook Marketplace are two good places to start looking when searching for an apartment. 

Although some realtors do have their own Facebook pages, Facebook groups (some of which allow realtors to post) can be a more productive place to find housing on Facebook, especially groups that are focused on Tel Aviv. These include groups that are exclusively in English, groups dedicated to people looking for housing, neighbourhood groups that discuss any topic of local interest, and groups that are specifically for people seeking roommates or shared apartments. 

Tel Aviv Groups

Tel Aviv Real Estate Groups

Tel Aviv Neighbourhood Groups

North Tel Aviv

Central Tel Aviv

Florentin

South Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv Roommate Groups

You can also choose to ask a realtor to help you find an apartment. In Israel, the realtor’s commission is paid by both buyers and sellers or renters and landlords. Assuming the rental contract is for at least one year, the commission fee is usually the equivalent of one month’s rent plus 17 per cent tax. 

Below is a list of English-speaking realtors in the Tel Aviv area:

Rent prices in Tel Aviv range from about NIS 4,200 for a studio apartment in a less expensive area, to NIS 5,600 for a studio in a more expensive area. The price for a one-bedroom apartment can range from about NIS 5,000 in a less expensive area to NIS 8,500 in a more expensive area.

Because the real estate market moves so quickly in Tel Aviv, some postdocs have found it useful to rent an Airbnb or sublet an apartment for a few months before starting to look for a place to live long term. 

Ramat Aviv

The closest neighbourhood to the Tel Aviv University campus is Ramat Aviv. Ramat Aviv is an upper-middle-class neighbourhood on the northwest end of Tel Aviv. It is populated by older, established residents as well as young families. Using public transportation, it takes about 30 minutes to get from Ramat Aviv to the city centre, so it is a bit isolated from the livelier central Tel Aviv amenities, such as the beach and the markets.

Hatzafon Hayashan

Hatzafon Hayashan (the Old North) is one of Tel Aviv’s more upscale, quieter neighbourhoods. It is more family-oriented than other areas of Tel Aviv, with good schools and preschools. It is bordered by the sea on the west and the Yarkon Park to the north, lending the neighbourhood an airy, open feel, despite high population density. Like Lev Ha’ir, it is hard to find parking in Hatzafon Hayashan, but there is plenty of public transportation. It is also close to the old Tel Aviv port which has restaurants, fashionable stores and a food market. 

Lev Ha’ir

Home to the iconic Dizengoff Center shopping mall, this neighbourhood is the heart of the city. It is generally more expensive than the more southern neighbourhoods and is characterized by lively main streets alongside quiet side streets lined with a mix of old and new buildings. It hosts many trendy shops, cafes and bars, especially along Shenkin Street and Rothschild Avenue. There is ample public transportation along the main streets, which is a good thing because it is nearly impossible to find parking in this popular neighbourhood.

Kerem Hateimanim (the Yemenite Quarter)

Bordered by the Carmel Market, Tel Aviv’s primary food market, and a hub of creative eateries and cafes, the Yemenite Quarter is a maze of narrow streets and small buildings. Just a few minutes from the beach, this neighbourhood is surprisingly still relatively cheap (in Tel Aviv terms), and has lots of character. It is a good alternative to the nearby, more upscale, and more expensive neighbourhood of Neve Tsedek.

Florentin

This rapidly gentrifying south Tel Aviv neighbourhood is the artsy heart of Tel Aviv. It is characterized by small older apartment buildings next to new high-rises that have been going up as the neighbourhood becomes more upscale. It is populated by students and young singles and couples attracted to the neighbourhood’s buzzing atmosphere. Florentin is located about a 10- to 20-minute walk away from the Central Bus Station as well as the HaHaganah train station. It is also home to the Levinsky spice market, which is a wonderfully eclectic place to buy food and spices. 

Jaffa

Despite the fact that it is technically part of the Tel Aviv municipality, Jaffa has a completely different feel to its neighbour to the north. Jaffa is an ancient port city, while Tel Aviv is a young one. It is full of beautiful old buildings, flea markets, quirky homewares stores and more. Though not as cheap as it once was, Jaffa tends to be cheaper than Tel Aviv, which is a big draw. 

Tel Aviv Suburbs

For postdoctoral fellows who do not mind living outside of Tel Aviv, the suburbs of neighbouring towns Ramat Gan and Givatayim are both good options. Both of these towns sit to the east of Tel Aviv. They are quiet, family-oriented cities, with good transportation to Tel Aviv and Tel Aviv University. Some parts of Ramat Gan are also very convenient for Bar-Ilan University postdocs — particularly the Ramat Amidar neighbourhood. 

Givat Shmuel

Although Bar-Ilan University is officially located in Ramat Gan, the campus mostly borders Givat Shmuel, a relatively small, family-friendly city. The most popular neighbourhoods are: 

  • Ramat Ilan: Just across from the main entrance of the university, this neighbourhood is a bit older and quieter than other parts of town and is very popular among both students and faculty. 
  • Givat Shmuel Hachadasha: This neighbourhood is mostly newer high-rise buildings. It is not as close to the university (a 15-minute walk) but is built around the city’s outdoor mall and borders a small bar and restaurant district in nearby Petah Tikva.

Yad2.co.il and Facebook Marketplace are always good places to start when looking for an apartment. In addition, there are some local Facebook groups that could make searching for an apartment easier, such as: 

The average cost of rent in Givat Shmuel is around NIS 4,000 to NIS 5,000 for a three-bedroom apartment on the “old side” of Givat Shmuel, and NIS 5,000 to NIS 6,000 for an apartment of the same size in Givat Shmuel Hachadasha.

The commute times from Tel Aviv to Bar-Ilan University are relatively short — about 30 minutes or so. Because of this, some Bar-Ilan University postdoctoral fellows prefer to take advantage of Tel Aviv’s urban culture and commute to campus when required. For more on living in Tel Aviv, see above.

Herzliya

Just north of Tel Aviv, Herzliya is one of Israel’s most affluent cities and the site of Reichman University. Herzliya is known for its high-tech culture, villas near the beach and high-profile residents. However, you do not need to be a millionaire to live in Herzliya. The northwest neighbourhoods closer to the university, such as Hatishah, tend to be less expensive than the neighbourhoods closer to the sea. 

If you will be working at Reichman but do not want to live in Herzliya proper, it is bordered by the cities of Raanana to the north and Hod Hasharon to the east. Both of these small cities are quiet, middle- to upper-class and suburban. In addition, Tel Aviv is just a short train ride away from Herzliya and is a definite option for postdoctoral fellows at Reichman. 

For more information and resources, see Reichman University’s list of suggested Facebook Groups and website, here.

Tel Aviv University

Tel Aviv University has one dormitory complex for postdocs: Broshim, which is about a five-minute walk from campus. 

The Broshim dormitory complex contains four types of apartments:

  • Single studios
  • Couples’ studios
  • One-bedroom couples’ apartments
  • Two-bedroom family apartments

Prices for the 2022–23 academic year range from about NIS 3,000 a month for a studio to about NIS 4,000) a month for a couples’ studio. 

For more information, contact Mr. Shlomi Gilead at housing@tauex.tau.ac.il. 

Bar-Ilan University

Bar-Ilan offers housing to international students and postdoctoral fellows in its Ilanot and 100 Park dormitory complex. The dormitories offer apartments in a range of sizes from studios to three-bedroom apartments. Every apartment has a kitchen, bathroom and living space. 

Prices range from NIS 1,710 per person in a three-bedroom apartment to NIS 2,750 for a studio for a couple. 

For more information, please contact Mr. Zvi Swisa at phd-pd.intl@biu.ac.il.

Reichman University

Reichman University offers international postdoctoral fellows housing in its new dormitory complex located on campus and made up of three 13-story buildings. The buildings have two types of apartments:

  • 20-square-metre studios, for singles
  • 40-square-metre one-bedrooms, for couples

Rent starts at about NIS 3,000 per month for a studio and about NIS 4,800 for a one-bedroom apartment.

For more information, contact Ms. Michal Litvak at michal.litvak@runi.ac.il.

For more information regarding renting an apartment in Israel, see our general housing page.

Photo credit

City of Tel Aviv
Photo credit: Pixabay

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