Money, cards and ATMs in Israel

The one money rule that can trap you

• Healthcare is not free and treatment can be expensive. Hospitals insist on payment and may take legal action to stop you leaving the country until the bill is paid.
• That makes insurance with accessible funds a travel-document-level requirement here, not a nicety. Check the policy covers the region and the activities you plan.

Cash, cards and the border

• Theft of passports, credit cards and valuables from public beaches is common. Do not take the wallet and the passport to the sea.
• Always carry ID, for example a copy of the personal details page and the entry card or entry stamp page. Keep the originals somewhere secure.

If you are heading to Egypt overland

• Take US dollars in cash from Eilat, at least 170 per person plus a margin. ATMs at the Taba crossing are unreliable and frequently run out of cash, and every charge there is payable in cash.

Costs

• The table below is Numbeo's country-wide average. Tel Aviv sits well above it, and Israel is an expensive country by regional standards, so treat these as a floor rather than a guide to the coast.