Michal Korach
Newly released CBS data on household expenditures in Israel reveals that, in 2009, the average monthly household expenditure for Jerusalem was 11,900 NIS, compared with a national average of 13,000 NIS and 14,400 NIS in Tel Aviv.  Given the differences in household size, the (standard) average per capita monthly expenditure in Jerusalem was actually 4,000 NIS, far below the national average (4,700 NIS) and the average in Tel Aviv (6,900 NIS). 
The primary household expenditure categories in Jerusalem were: housing (26%), transportation and communications (17%), food (17%), education, culture and entertainment (13%).  Percentagewise, the distribution of household expenditures in Jerusalem was similar to the figures for Israel and Tel Aviv. 
Monetarily, the household expenditure on food in Jerusalem, Israel and Tel Aviv was similar, around 2,100 NIS.  But as we know, ‘different strokes for different folks’.  In Jerusalem, the primary food expenditure categories were fresh produce (410 NIS), meat and poultry (340 NIS), bread, grains and other dough products (330 NIS), milk products and eggs (300 NIS) and dining out (240 NIS). 
Interestingly enough, whereas in Jerusalem and throughout Israel the two leading categories in household expenditure on food were fresh produce and meat and poultry, in Tel Aviv, dining out topped the list followed by fresh produce.  In fact, on average, Tel Avivians spend around 31% of their monthly food bill on eating out, compared to an average of 12% for Jerusalemites and 14% for all Israeli households.