Student Expenses
How much do students spend on living expenses?
Students tend to have varied spending habits. Below are four student spending profiles based on actual information from students at Pardes in 2024-2025 and are represented in US dollars.
Amy (27 years old)
Sarah (27 years old)
Sam (26 years old)
David and Jessica (24 & 26 years old)
Family of 4
Background: I’m on a very tight budget. For me, every shekel counts.
Spending habits: I’m a thrifty spender.
Living space: I live in an average Jerusalem apartment, furnished, with two roommates.
One-time or Irregular Costs:
- Pardes/ other text books$175
- Apartment-related (heaters, fans, appliances, etc)$220
- Clothing (over the course of the year)$150
- Hosting Shabbat (2x per year)$100
- Medicine (which was later reimbursed by my health insurance)$130
- Vitamins (a few bottles of vitamin C)$30
Total One-time/ irregular Expenses$730
Student Spending Profile 1
Amy (27 years old)
Monthly Costs:
- Rent$700
- Utilities (electricity, water, internet, gas)$60
- Arnona (apartment city tax)$40
- Va’ad bayit (apartment building maintenance fee)$40
- Health Insurance ($2.10 per day)$63
- Phone$10
- Food (I shop in bulk at the cheapest local supermarket)$350
- Leisure/ entertainment (I only attend free events- there are many)$30
- Transportation/ travel$65
- Personal hygiene products (I buy in bulk)$20
- Pardes activity fee (registration fees)$10
- Gifts for Shabbat hosts$30
Total Monthly Expenses$1,400
Background: I’m on a very tight budget. For me, every shekel counts.
Age: 27
Spending habits: I’m a thrifty spender.
Living space: I live in an average Jerusalem apartment, furnished, with two roommates.
One-time or Irregular Costs:
- Pardes/ other textbooks $175
- Apartment-related (heaters, fans, appliances, etc)$220
- Clothing (over the course of the year))$150
Total One-time/ irregular Expenses$545
Student Spending Profile 2
Sarah (27 years old)
Monthly Costs:
- Rent$700
- Utilities (electricity, water, internet, gas) (we have central air which
we use A LOT)$80 - Arnona (apartment city tax) $30
- Va’ad bayit (apartment building maintenance fee) $20
- Health Insurance ($2.10 per day) $63
- Phone $20
- Food (more during holidays or months when I host Shabbat) $400-$600
- Leisure/ entertainment $100
- Transportation/ travel $80
- Personal hygiene products $40
- Pardes activity fee (registration fees) $10
- Gifts for Shabbat hosts $50
Total Monthly Expenses$1,695
Background: I worked for a few years after finishing college in my field before deciding to come to learn at Pardes. I have some money saved up.
Spending habits: I’m an above-average spender.
Living space: I live in an average Jerusalem apartment with two roommates and our apartment is furnished.
One-time or Irregular Costs:
- Pardes/ other text books$200
- Apartment-related (heaters, fans, appliances, etc)$200
- Clothing (over the course of the year)$100
Total One-time/ irregular Expenses$500
Student Spending Profile 3
Sam (26 years old)
Monthly Costs:
- Rent$800
- Utilities (electricity, water, internet, gas)$50
- Arnona (apartment city tax)$30
- Va’ad bayit (apartment building maintenance fee)$20
- Health Insurance ($2.10 per day)$63
- Phone$30
- Food (I eat a lot of food)$700
- Leisure/ entertainment (I only attend free events- there are many)$100
- Transportation/ travel$100
- Personal hygiene products$50
- Pardes activity fee (registration fees)$10
- Gifts for Shabbat hosts$60
Total Monthly Expenses$2,015
Background: Newlyweds
Spending habits: We’re average spenders
Living space: Our apartment is average-sized with two bedrooms but we do have two balconies and a decent sized kitchen. Our apartment is furnished.
One-time or Irregular Costs (Combined expenses for both David and Jessica):
- Pardes/ other text books$100
- Apartment-related (heaters, fans, appliances, etc)$250
- Clothing (over the course of the year)$130
Total One-time/ irregular Expenses$480
Student Spending Profile 4
David and Jessica
(24 & 26 years old)
Monthly Costs:
- Rent$1,400
- Utilities (electricity, water, internet, gas)$154
- Arnona (apartment city tax)$50
- Va’ad bayit (apartment building maintenance fee)$30
- Health Insurance ($2.10 per day)$126
- Phone$30 x 2
- Food$600
- Leisure/ entertainment (we spend $50 at most per month)$50
- Transportation/ travel$150
- Personal hygiene products$50
- Pardes activity fee (registration fees)$10
- Gifts for Shabbat hosts$60
Total Monthly Expenses$2,740
Student Spending Profile 5
Family of 4
Background: 2 parents with 2 children
Age: 45 and 43, kids aged 7 and 9
Spending habits: We’re average spenders
Living space: Our apartment is smaller than back home but we’re trying to save money, so kids are sharing a room. We have two bedrooms. Our apartment is furnished.
One-time or Irregular Costs (Combined expenses for both David and Jessica):
- Pardes/ other text books$100
- Apartment-related (heaters, fans, appliances, etc)$250
- Clothing (over the course of the year)$130
Total One-time/ irregular Expenses$480
School Costs:
- Children’s School Fees$30–$60
- Private Kindergarten fees$700/month
- Public kindergarten fees$200–400/month
Childcare is more expensive for children aged 0–3 and from age 3 and up is subsidized.
Monthly Costs:
- Rent$1,800–$2,300
- Utilities (electricity, water, internet, gas)$180
- Arnona (apartment city tax)$100
- Va’ad bayit (apartment building maintenance fee)$30
- Health Insurance (for 2 adults 2 children)$175
- Phone$30 x 4
- Food$800
- Leisure/ entertainment$50–$100
- Transportation/ travel$150
- Personal hygiene products$50
Total Monthly Expenses$3,750