Houses for Rent in Israel
Houses for Rent in Israel
If you are searching for houses for rent in Israel, this guide is written for you – an overseas buyer or tenant who wants clear, local answers before committing to a home in Israel.
Official market data — Israel (CBS, 2026)
National average: ₪2,392,000 in H1 2026 (+3.9% vs. H1 2025); the CBS housing price index for February–March 2026 was down 1.2% year on year
Purchase tax for a foreign resident or investor: 8% up to ₪6,055,070 and 10% above; bank financing for non-residents is capped at 50% of the property value (up to 75% for an Israeli resident buying a single home)
Source: Israel Central Bureau of Statistics — average apartment prices for the first half of 2026 (published 15 September 2026), the housing price index (published 15 May 2026) and the Q1 2026 rent survey. These are city-wide averages; the actual price depends on the neighborhood, size, floor and condition. Before any decision we show you real transactions recorded with the Israel Tax Authority in the area you are considering.
Below you will find how renting houses in Israel actually works – lease conventions, what landlords ask for, which areas suit which tenants, and how to secure a good apartment without being in the country.
Israel at a glance
Israel is a small, dense country where most of the population and most of the housing demand sit along the Mediterranean coastal plain, between Haifa in the north and Ashdod in the south, with Jerusalem in the hills to the east.
The market is dominated by apartments in multi-family buildings; private houses are concentrated in older suburbs, moshavim and community settlements. Land is mostly state-owned and leased long-term through the Israel Land Authority, with a smaller share of privately owned (tabu) land.
Foreign residents can buy freely in Israel. Purchase tax is higher for non-residents and for second homes than for Israeli first-time buyers, so tax planning belongs at the start of the process, not the end.
Getting around:Israel Railways links the coastal cities and Jerusalem, Ben Gurion Airport sits between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, and Highways 2, 4, 6 and 1 carry most of the intercity traffic.
Renting houses in Israel
Renting in Israel is fast and informal compared with most Western markets: good apartments in Israel are let within days, viewings are brief and decisions are expected on the spot. The lease itself is usually a twelve-month contract with an option year; the tenant covers arnona, building fees and utilities; and landlords ask for cheques, a bank guarantee or guarantors as security.
Houses and villas for rent are a small segment in Israel, where most people live in apartments, so the stock in Israel is limited and often let through word of mouth. Gardens, pools and larger plots mean higher arnona and maintenance, which the lease should allocate clearly.
How we secure a rental for a client who is abroad:
Brief – budget, move-in date, size in rooms and square metres, furnished or not, parking, elevator, safe room, pets, and any community or school requirements.
Search – we combine agency listings, private listings and our own network in Israel, then pre-screen every candidate in person.
Video viewing – you see the apartment, the building and the street before deciding.
Lease review – we read the Hebrew contract with you, negotiate the option year, security and maintenance clauses, and arrange a translation.
Move-in – meter readings, inventory, keys, and set-up of arnona, electricity, water and internet in your name.
Areas to know in Israel
Each part of Israel has its own character, price level and buyer profile:
Tel Aviv and Gush Dan –the economic centre – Tel Aviv, Ramat Gan, Givatayim, Herzliya, Bat Yam, Holon and Rishon LeZion
Jerusalem and its surroundings –the capital plus Beit Shemesh, Mevaseret Zion, Modi'in and the Gush Etzion communities
The Sharon coast –Netanya, Herzliya, Ra'anana, Kfar Saba and Caesarea – popular with French and Anglo buyers
Haifa and the north –Haifa, the Krayot, Nahariya, Akko, Karmiel, Tiberias and the Galilee villages
The south –Ashdod, Ashkelon, Beer Sheva, Eilat and the Negev towns
Housing stock and who rents in Israel
What you will find on the market: new towers with underground parking and a reinforced safe room (mamad) in every apartment, mid-century walk-ups that are being rebuilt under the TAMA 38 and pinui-binui urban-renewal programmes, and a smaller stock of villas, cottages and garden apartments.
Who you will be competing with: Israelis upgrading or investing, new immigrants (olim), diaspora families from the United States, France, the United Kingdom and Latin America buying a second home, and overseas investors looking for rental income in a supply-constrained market.
Standard leases run twelve months, often with an option year; landlords usually ask for post-dated cheques or a bank guarantee, and the tenant pays municipal tax (arnona) and building fees (va'ad bayit) on top of rent.
Lease terms and costs you will see in Israel
Term –twelve months is standard; an option year at a pre-agreed rent is common and worth negotiating
Security –post-dated cheques, a bank guarantee or a promissory note, sometimes with guarantors; overseas tenants can often substitute a larger deposit
Running costs –arnona (municipal tax) set by the city and the property's zone and size, va'ad bayit (building fees, higher in towers with elevators, pools or a doorman), electricity, water and gas
Agent fee –customarily about one month's rent plus VAT if an agent found the apartment for you
Repairs –the lease should say who fixes the air conditioning, water heater and appliances – in Israel this is often the tenant for minor items
How Kobi Elkayam Real Estate helps
Kobi Elkayam Real Estate Ltd is part of the Elkayam Group, a Tel Aviv family business whose roots go back to 1945 and is now in its third generation. The group is active as a developer – in urban renewal, combination deals and complex transactions – and as a brokerage for international clients, working in English, French and Hebrew from its offices at 37 Rival Street, Tel Aviv.
Rental search in Israel –agency, private and off-market listings pre-screened in person
Video viewings –so you can decide from abroad
Lease negotiation and translation –option year, security, maintenance and notice clauses
Move-in and set-up –utilities, arnona, internet and furniture where needed
Buy-later planning –if the rental is your first step towards buying, we plan the purchase in parallel
Can a foreigner rent houses in Israel?
Yes. There is no residency requirement to rent in Israel. Landlords will want identification, proof of income or savings and security – cheques, a bank guarantee or guarantors – and an overseas tenant can usually offer a larger deposit or a foreign guarantor instead. Signing can be done remotely with a power of attorney or in person.
How much deposit or security do landlords in Israel ask for?
Conventions vary by landlord rather than by law. Common arrangements are post-dated cheques for the year, a bank guarantee equal to a few months' rent, a promissory note with Israeli guarantors, or a cash deposit. Overseas tenants without Israeli guarantors usually negotiate a larger deposit instead.
Are apartments in Israel rented furnished?
Most long-term rentals in Israel come unfurnished but with kitchen cabinets, a water heater and usually air conditioning; furnished units are a minority and often belong to owners abroad. Standard leases run twelve months, often with an option year; landlords usually ask for post-dated cheques or a bank guarantee, and the tenant pays municipal tax (arnona) and building fees (va'ad bayit) on top of rent.
What extra costs come with a rental in Israel?
On top of rent the tenant pays arnona (municipal tax), va'ad bayit (building maintenance), electricity, water, gas and internet. Arnona depends on the city, the zone and the size of the apartment; building fees are higher in towers with elevators, pools or a doorman. If an agent found the apartment, the customary fee is about one month's rent plus VAT.
Related guides
Talk to us about a rental in Israel.Call +972-53-658-4252, write to support@kobielkayamrealestateltd.com, orleave your detailsand a member of the team will get back to you in English, French or Hebrew.