Tel Aviv Neighbourhood Guide 2023 (Where Should You Live in Tel Aviv?)

Tel Aviv building

Moving to Tel Aviv? Confused about where to live? Tel Aviv has quite a few neighbourhoods and they’re all pretty different in vibe and style. This neighbourhood guide will hopefully help you make sense of everything so you can choose a neighbourhood that’s right for you. This post was originally written a few years ago but has now been updated for 2023.

By the way, if you’re looking for a hotel or a holiday flat, you might want to check the Tel Aviv accommodation guide first.

And if you have more questions about moving to, living in or visiting Tel Aviv, there’s always the Tel Aviv FAQ.

Tel Aviv Basics

The first thing to keep in mind about Tel Aviv is that it’s small. With the exception of the neighbourhoods north of the Yarkon, south of the Jaffa flea market, or east of the Ayalon highway, you can cycle anywhere within half an hour (casual pace). While parking is rough, public transport is pretty decent and there are even some shared taxi lines that work on weekends, as well as a free weekend bus service that goes to some key locations.

If you’re used to big cities like London, New York, or Paris, remember that living in a neighbourhood that’s further out than you’d like can sometimes mean only adding 5-10 minutes to your journey (walking). That said, living in Tel Aviv makes you lazy and spoiled when it comes to distances. Spend enough time here and you may find that venturing even 10-15 minutes out of your neighbourhood feels like too much effort. It therefore helps to pick your neighbourhood based on what’s the most important thing to you right now.

Tel Aviv neighbourhoods covered in this post

For this post, I will be concentrating predominantly on Tel Aviv’s more “important” and central neighbourhoods.  In general, anything north of the Yarkon river is suburban and family oriented. Also, as this is Tel Aviv, suburban in this context often means huge tower blocks, rather than little picket fences and nice gardens. Living there without owning a car is a pain in the ass, unless you live in Ramat Aviv by the Uni, and then it’s merely far away from everything interesting (although not without its charm).

If you plan on owning a car, working in the high-tech industry park in Herzliya, or raising children while frequenting shopping centres / suburban cafés for fun, then you’ll fit right in. If you want to experience Tel Aviv’s finer points more frequently, though, look further south.

Anything east of the Ayalon freeway is equally far out of the centre and some neighbourhoods (like HaTikva) can also be a bit rough (although actually pretty safe compared to similar places abroad). The western bits of Yad Eliyahu, while very residential and not that exciting, are not actually that far from some parts of the centre if you have a car or enjoy cycling for more than 15-20 minutes each way.

The neighbouring Bitzaron neighbourhood is quite small and village-like, and is actually quite popular with trendy lesbian couples. It now has a cool bakery and a funky café / pizza place. You’d still need to be quite fond of cycling or driving to live there though.

Neighbourhoods like Montifiore in the east (not to be confused with the street by the same name) and Bavli in the north are generally far away from everything as well, but have their own advantages (Montifiore is relatively cheap, while Bavli is right by the Yarkon River, so very green and reasonably quiet).

Light Rail Works

Tel Aviv is currently in the grip of lengthy, annoying roadworks to build a light rail system. As a result, some neighbourhoods in Tel Aviv are going to be pretty chaotic for the next few years, making living there somewhat less pleasant.

There is a (Hebrew) map, showing the areas where current and scheduled light rail works are happening. The dark blue lines on the map are light rail works, with some not due to be completed until 2027.

Streets like Ibn Gabirol, Arlozerov, Allenby, and Jerusalem Blvd. in Jaffa are heavily affected, which also means the surrounding areas are going to have heavy traffic and noise.

This being Israel, the contractors running these works are a bit shoddy, which sometimes results in sinkholes opening along local roads.

 

Tel Aviv neighbourhoods

Florentin

Florentin is always ready for Pride.

This southern neighbourhood is going through the second phase of its gentrification. It used to be (and in parts still is) a commercial and light industrial area, but the city council encouraged artists and creatives to move here back in the 90s, slowly turning it into an ultra funky bar, café and nightlife area. Now it attracts young people who want to party, but more and more monster tower blocks are going up, that will eventually turn it into a boring, gentrified place.

Apart from the monsters, it’s mostly low rise buildings of 4 stories max. They’re old (so sometimes a bit crumbly) but some can be very beautiful. Many of the big old apartments are (questionably) split into smaller ones – studios or 1 bed places, to maximise landlord income.

Transport

Transport links are on the neighbourhood’s outskirts – buses and shared taxis (moniyot sheirut) from Allenby and HaAliya St. plus some buses on Salame St. and Derech Yafo / Eilat. The small streets inside the neighbourhood itself are unsuitable for buses.

Depending on where you are in the neighbourhood, you’d also be 10-20 minute walk away from the central bus station and HaHagana train station. The eastern edge of the neighbourhood is HaAliya St.

Prices

Places here differ greatly and randomly in price, as well as size and quality. 3000NIS+ for a tiny studio is the norm, but you’ll see studios listed for up to 7000NIS a month or more.  A 2 room / 1 bedroom place for 5000NIS would be a good deal but you’ll see many more going for around 6000NIS or more, depending on size.

Look out for the few existing old landlords who still rent out 3 room places for 5000NIS or thereabouts. They do exist, but are dying out by the minute, and so are those buildings.

Live here if…

You want to live in what is currently considered one of the coolest neighbourhoods in Tel Aviv, with great bars, cafés and restaurants right on your doorstep. This neighbourhood is full of creative young people and has a very special vibe. The Levinsky Market (spice market) is within its limits and is a really awesome place and great for food shopping, street food, restaurants, and bars.

Florentin is also within reasonable walk to the beach.

Beware of…

Scum – this is a dirty neighbourhood and quite neglected. It’s certainly not a “nice” neighbourhood.

Noise  – in the day,  areas like the Levinsky Market and the Kefar Giladi wholesale area are noisy with cars, merchants and crowds. At night you’ll often get shop alarms going off, and restaurants and bars mean there are always noisy drunk people around.

Apart from that – buildings are pretty close together in Tel Aviv and people often leave their windows open while they play loud music, fight or party. This is especially true in this party neighbourhood. The quietest part of the neighbourhood (it’s all relative) is its south-eastern end, north of Herzl and south of Wolfson.

Thieves – they usually want your laptop.  DIY Tel Aviv only exists because the thieves that broke into my Florentin flat missed the portable HD where I’d backed up my work. Avoid living on the ground floor if possible unless the whole place has bars of the type that is fixed to the wall.

Many of the buildings in Florentin are old and not very well maintained. Expect some damp in winter, leaks, and other fun issues. This is Israel, though, so even the more modern buildings are sometimes poorly built and full of issues.

Get the ultimate Tel Aviv guide with flat-hunting tips, honest insights into life in Israel and information about the best places to eat, drink, shop and party in town. New 2023 edition available now!

 

Neve Tzedek

A typical Neve Tzedek street

This was one of the first neighbourhoods in Tel Aviv, a Jewish neighbourhood outside Jaffa’s walls. It’s made up of mostly small, single storey houses that are very beautiful, with little inner courtyards, lots of greenery and a village vibe. There are a few 3-4 storey buildings on the outskirts and, of course, that hideous, monster tower of “lofts” where rich, (mostly) French Jews buy flats to visit once a year.

Transport

Transport links are on the outskirts, the main one being the Carmelit bus terminal, just outside the neighbourhood. While you can’t see or hear the buses inside Neve Tzedek itself, it’s close enough for convenience. The southern edge of the neighbourhood is Jaffa road, which also has some buses. When the light rail finally runs, they’ll also be a station nearby. The neighbourhood is also an easy bike ride or a walk away from the centre. Rent is usually very high here, but you can sometimes luck out and get somewhere small for not much more than you’d pay in Florentin.

Live here if…
You’re rich. You’ll need to be to be able to afford most places here.
If you can afford it, you’ll find it a peaceful neighbourhood with quaint houses, upmarket designer shops and cafés, and good restaurants. It’s certainly a unique place and central for anywhere. The beach, the Carmel market and the Tachana shopping area are just a few minutes’ walk away.

Beware of…

High prices and general lack of properties to buy our rent. You need to be very lucky or very rich to live here, but if you can, it’s totally worth it.

Theft – low houses means easy entry and thieves know rich people live here. Don’t assume the village vibe = safety.

Old buildings = old building problems.

Get the ultimate Tel Aviv guide with flat-hunting tips, honest insights into life in Israel and information about the best places to eat, drink, shop and party in town. New 2023 edition available now!

Kerem Hateimanim (Yemenite Quarter)

The Carmel market would be right on your doorstep if you lived here.

The old Yemenite quarter is a maze of semi-pedestrianised streets with small buildings bordered by the Carmel market on one end and a few streets with taller buildings as you near the seafront.

It’s amazingly well located, minutes from the beach, and the market is a major selling point. 24 hour stores are on the nearby (ish) Allenby St.

Transport

The Carmelit bus terminal is on the west, while Allenby St. on the other side, offers many more buses. Light rail works may interfere with the latter in the near future (and beyond).

Prices

Prices vary, but you may need to pay around 3500NIS or more for a tiny studio. Small studio apartments (often made out of illegally or semi-legally divided larger apartments) are possibly more common and affordable, but don’t expect luxury. 2 bedroom flats start at around 5000NIS, unless you get very lucky (and like small spaces).

Live here if…

You want to live somewhere unusual and central that’s not been overly gentrified, enjoy great food and shopping, and live in a relatively peaceful neighbourhood with a truly unique vibe. There are streets offering flats with sea views, and you’re never more than five minutes away from the beach.

Having the city’s best market right on your doorstep is pretty amazing, and the neighbourhood is centrally located, too, close enough to Florentin, Dizengoff, Sheinkin St., and more.

If you own a car, this is the area that gets you the best parking pass in the city, because parking here is believed to be so limited, you are also entitled to park in Lev Hair, the area that’s most difficult to park in otherwise.

Beware of…

Theft from the small buildings (especially ground floor flats).

If you live in one of the streets close to, or forming part of the Carmel market then things get noisier and busier, as well as dirtier. You may even meet the occasional rat on the way home, and there will certainly be a lot of garbage around, which stinks in summer.

The building themselves are old, with old building problems like damp, leaks, electrical issues, etc.. the taller buildings along the market don’t have elevators / lifts.

Further away from the market and closer to the beach, things get a lot more expensive, though cleaner and quieter. The buildings are also more modern.

Get the ultimate Tel Aviv guide with flat-hunting tips, honest insights into life in Israel and information about the best places to eat, drink, shop and party in town.

Lev Hair (heart of the city)

A typical Lev HaIr street in Tel Aviv, with a mix of modern and old Bauhaus buildings
A typical Lev HaIr street, with a mix of modern and old Bauhaus buildings

This is the biggest “neighbourhood” in town and doesn’t feel like one neighbourhood.  There are lots of lovely Bauhaus buildings, old eclectic buildings, and modern buildings. It’s more expensive than the southern neighbourhoods but also nicer.

This being Tel Aviv, don’t expect peace and quiet, though. You’ll still get woken up too early on a Saturday morning, but it’ll be your neighbour’s kid practicing piano, or someone blasting opera, rather than loud psytrance or Mizrahi music.

There are lots of good shops, the famous Dizengoff Centre, more upmarket bars and cafés, and a somewhat more bourgeois vibe that’s still not totally out of touch.

Transport options are plentiful, with many buses. Some link to the Shalom train station, while others go to Savidor / Merkaz train station.

Prices

Expect to pay at least 4000NIS+ a month for a tiny studio flat, though most will cost upwards of 5000NIS. Buildings vary greatly in age and amenities, and flats vary wildly in size, so the price range is pretty wild, too.

Live here if…

You want to live bang in the centre of town in a decidedly nice area that has good dining, shopping and drinking.

The side streets are often relatively quiet (for Tel Aviv) and the vibe is generally relaxed. Different parts have a totally different feel – around Rothschild and Sheinkin is the trendiest, but also the most expensive.

The central location is convenient, and you’re still not necessarily far from the more southern, gritty neighbourhoods like Florentin, if that’s where you like to go drinking and partying.

This area feels safe and has enough going on in it at the same time. If you can afford it and don’t particularly like gritty neighbourhoods, then this is where you want to be.

Beware of…

High prices and no parking, unless you have a private parking space. Houses being close together means it can still get noisy here.

Some buildings are old and poorly maintained, though that won’t necessarily be reflected in the price.

Get the ultimate Tel Aviv guide with flat-hunting tips, honest insights into life in Israel and information about the best places to eat, drink, shop and party in town.

Hatsafon Hayashan (the old north)

Breakfast is served at Nola Bakery, an Old North favourite, popular with American expats.

This is a nice area but not in an overly posh way. Many buildings are from the 1950s or so,  but the flats are nice, the streets are quiet, and the shopping / dining / nightlife options are more upmarket.

Bars on Dizengoff and Ben Yehuda street are mostly mainstream, and appeal to tourists (because most tourist guides tell them to go there) and out of towners.

There are lots of young families of the relatively affluent type, some little green spaces, and a safe vibe. The western part of this neighbourhood is conveniently close to the beach and is home to the old Tel Aviv port with its food market, (expensive) stores and some restaurants popular with out of towners and people who live north of the Yarkon.

Transport

Buses are plentiful, and go along Dizengoff and Ben Yehuda. Others go along Arlozerov and Ibn Gabirol, connecting to Savidor / Merkaz train station. Many of these are currently affected by the light rail works.

Prices

Prices vary widely, as there are both old and modern buildings here. Flats can be very small…or not. A small 3 room (2 bed) apartment will generally cost more than 8000NIS, while a tiny studio (a liveable one, anyway) can cost as much as 5000NIS.

Live here if…

You want to live somewhere nice and like upmarket shopping and “nice” cafés. Great if you’re less concerned with having the city’s best nightlife on your doorstep and more interested in pretty, shady streets, and (relative) peace and quiet.

Great if you have kids but don’t want to give up the urban vibe and move to suburbia (and can afford it!). The area has good schools and kindergartens.

The areas near the Yarkon river are green and pleasant, and a stroll down the river is always nice.

Beware of…

If you’re into partying – this is pretty far from the action, unless you’re into more mainstream stuff. It’s definitely not a dead zone, though. There are bars, pubs, and restaurants, and the Tel Aviv port does have one good dance bar.

Light rail works are hitting this area hard right now, so the areas near Ibn Gabirol and Arlozerov are going to be pretty chaotic for the foreseeable future.

Get Tel Aviv flat-hunting tips, plus everything you need to integrate into the Tel Aviv lifestyle with the full DIY Tel Aviv guide.

Jaffa

Although known for its historic buildings, Jaffa also offers new, modern buildings, with all mod cons.

Don’t forget that Tel Aviv is actually Tel Aviv-Yafo (Jaffa). While Jaffa is no longer necessarily the cheap alternative it once used to be, it’s quite a cool place to live, if you don’t mind being far away from the centre and north of Tel Aviv.

The Noga area and the flea market area are really quite nice, with many places now being quite posh and expensive. There are beautiful old buildings and great bars, cafés and restaurants everywhere, and a young designer area with lots of twee fashion and homewares studios.

These areas are also pretty close to the beach and to Florentin, but have a decidedly different vibe that’s at once more upmarket but still very Middle Eastern (although increasingly crossed with European charm).

If you want to experience the more Palestinian (so-called “Israeli Arab”) part of Jaffa head further south, where neighbourhoods get poorer and very different to Tel Aviv. There are amazing restaurants and good cafés all over, though the more western type of nightlife is confined to the flea market area and the old city.

The southern part of Jaffa is more Christian / Muslim and can be more conservative than Tel Aviv. It has amazing, cheap restaurants, and a distinctive mad vibe. Old houses are pretty, and often offer high ceilings and large spaces, but there are also plenty of modern buildings around.

Live here if…

You don’t like the Tel Aviv look and vibe that much. Friends and family moving to the area from Jerusalem often prefer Jaffa.

The proximity to the beach and to good bars, restaurants, cafés and even music venues and some clubs is a factor for some.

As you move further south, prices tend to get cheaper, and you get more space for your money.

This is an ethnically diverse area, but is not as gritty as the even more diverse Neve Shaanan (see below).

Beware of…

Crime rates are  sometimes higher in some areas of Jaffa, especially burglaries. Another thing to keep in mind is that the Jaffa mosque is central, active and blasts the call to prayer around the clock. Whether that’s a charming addition to the town’s overall vibe or a nightmarish nuisance is down to personal taste.

Light rail works are ongoing in the Jerusalem Blvd. area, which is the main traffic artery in and out of Jaffa.

The Blumfield Stadium affects the areas around it, with noise, traffic, and drunk football fans.

Get the ultimate Tel Aviv guide with flat-hunting tips, honest insights into life in Israel and information about the best places to eat, drink, shop and party in town.

Shapira

This is quite a controversial neighbourhood and definitely not for everyone, although it’s becoming more gentrified, slowly. It’s not nearly as dangerous as it looks or sounds, but you need to be street smart to live here. Young people are moving in because they can no longer afford prices in Florentin, and new buildings are going up that are new and secure. In a few years it may be a completely different place. In the meantime, though, it’s a poor neighbourhood with a lot of problems. It has a unique vibe and still reasonably cheap (though nowadays you need to look around) and is one of the few ethnically mixed neighbourhoods in Tel Aviv.

It’s pretty close to the central bus station and only a relatively short distance away from Florentin.

If you are considering living here, walk around the neighbourhood a few times in the evening or night to see how you feel. The areas near Sderot Har Tsiyon tend to be more unpleasant as the street used to be a sex worker hangout. Some men assume it still is.

Transport options are good, as the central bus station and Hagana train station are nearby, though with the central bus station being slowly decommissioned, things might change.

Live here if…

You want to live in a unique, ethnically diverse neighbourhood that feels more like its own microcosm of little houses, narrow streets, and a community feel. It’s also pretty cheap still and you can get places with a garden or a roof terrace pretty easily.

There are now a few good cafés here, that hold interesting events. The nearby Kiriyat Hamelacha neighbourhood is an artistic hub and offered more nightlife, galleries, and stuff like that.

There are some very good, authentic worker-style restaurant serving some great food.

Beware of…

Junkies, prostitutes and their clients, unemployed asylum seekers that don’t speak your language (though are generally harmless and friendly), dark streets, occasional aggro, total neglect by the Tel Aviv municipality.

Although not as scary as people will often tell you it is, you do need to be street smart to survive here for long. If you’re used to living in poor immigrant neighbourhoods, you will find this one safer than most, with lots of families hanging out outside all the time. Otherwise, you may struggle.

Noise! Although small and far from the centre, with a suburban, village feel, you’ll hear much shouting pretty much all day and night.

For more information about finding a place to live in Tel Aviv, plus everything from the best restaurants to cultural tips and English language yoga classes, check out the full DIY Tel Aviv guide. You can get it from this site or buy the Kindle version or paperback from Amazon.

Other neighbourhoods

Neve Shaanan

This run-down but up and coming neighbourhood lies east of Florentin, towards the central bus station. It is slowly becoming gentrified, some might say not fast enough.

The area between HaAliya and Chlenov has become almost an extension of Florentin, and prices are significantly cheaper than Florentin itself, although that’s fast changing. Keep in mind, though, that this neighbourhood is as bad as Shapira for junkies and prostitutes, if not worse.

While generally not dangerous, walking around at night is not always pleasant, and robberies, although rare, do happen on occasion. Sexual harassment is far more common. This is especially true near Har Tsiyon St., the Central bus station itself, and Neve Shaanan street, which often features groups of asylum seekers hanging around and staring at women (as well as Israeli junkies trying to chat up women).

Basically, anything east of Chlenov is more hardcore than most people would like, but in reality it’s much safer than similar looking places abroad.

The upside of this neighbourhood (apart from the cheaper prices) is the fact that as an immigrant neighbourhood, it features some of the best African, South East Asian, Chinese, and Indian shops and food places in Israel, most of them are practically unknown to people outside of the neighbourhood.

Transport options are good, as the central bus station and Hagana train station are nearby, though with the central bus station being slowly decommissioned, things might change.

Qiriyat Shalom

South of Shapira and therefore pretty far from the centre of town, this is a chilled and green neighbourhood with a combination of big, affordable tower block flats, and small single or two storey buildings. It has a pleasant, village feel, and is popular with families and Florentin exiles.

Good if you have a car and want to live somewhere that’s close to the exit from Tel Aviv (if you work in one of the high-tech industry parks further south, for example), as the entrance to the Ayalon highway is close (though not close enough for noise and smoke).

Also good if you’re an avid cyclist. There are buses that serve the neighbourhood, but they obviously don’t work on weekends.

Yad Eliyahu

As mentioned above, this neighbourhood is east of the Ayalon highway, though if you live in certain areas you can be on Rothschild Blvd within 10-15 minutes walk. It’s a relatively quiet neighbourhood with lots of families and some green spaces. It’s relatively cheap and you can still get some big flats here for the price of much smaller places further in. Some streets even have rows of small buildings with gardens.

The neighbourhood borders the run-down HaTikva neighbourhood in the south, and these areas, while close to the excellent HaTikva market, are more run down and somewhat less pleasant. The neighbourhood on the whole has decent transport links and is good for cheap supermarkets. It’s quietly residential and there aren’t any bars or cafes. This is another place that’s located next to the Ayalon highway, so easy to get in and out of if you have a car.

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