Cost of Living
94 episodes · Page 3 of 4
#3436: Can Tiberias Escape Its Shabby Reputation?
A poor, Haredi-majority city on the Sea of Galilee bets big on tourism to reverse decades of decline.
#3434: Life Under 15 Seconds: Ashdod & Ashkelon
What it's really like to live in Israel's industrial south — cheaper rent, 15-second shelter warnings, and the country's best grilled meats.
#3281: The Triple Squeeze: Housing, Food, and Wages
Housing, food, and wages are compressing the middle class from three directions at once.
#3280: Why Milk Costs More in Israel Than Switzerland
A deep dive into why necessities are luxury-priced in Israel while Switzerland treats dairy like a loss leader.
#3251: Can One Person Really Build a Whole House?
The romantic fantasy vs. the 3,200-hour reality of solo house construction.
#3250: Where Does Unclaimed Land Still Exist?
Every habitable square meter on Earth is claimed. Here's how we got here and what that means for buyers.
#3247: Where Does the Three-Class Model Actually Come From?
The three-class model isn't an official system — it's a folk taxonomy. Here's where it really comes from.
#3234: Who Should Sponsor This Podcast? Open-Book Economics
We open the books on our AI-generated podcast: $200/month costs, 180K plays, zero sponsors. Who should we pitch?
#3165: A Floor That Holds: Housing, Food, and Job Guarantees Explained
What happens when nobody can fall through the floor? The evidence from real experiments might surprise you.
#3159: How Bankruptcy Works Differently in the US vs. Israel
Two countries, two radically different philosophies on debt, failure, and second chances.
#3131: Beyond Splitting the Difference: The Math of Fair Compromise
Most people treat compromise as splitting the difference. That's almost always wrong.
#3064: How Salt Destroys Leather (And How to Stop It)
Why some leather goods last a decade while others fall apart in two winters — the science of maintenance.
#3021: The Bus Routes Nobody Owns
East Jerusalem's Palestinian residents live under Israeli law but use Jordanian hospitals, unlicensed buses, and PA schools. How did this happen?
#2977: Why Bread Costs Triple in Richer Countries
Why do poorer countries like Portugal have cheaper bread than wealthier Israel? It's not price controls vs. free markets—it's market structure.
#2871: Can a Subscription Restaurant Actually Work?
Monthly fee, unlimited meals — why this model keeps failing and what it would actually take to make it work.
#2862: How a $3 Paint Marker Reveals Israel's Import Maze
Why does a $3 German marker cost $6 in Tel Aviv? The answer reveals how Israel's import system really works.
#2837: Israel's Rental Trap: Why "Just Buy" No Longer Works
How did Israel build a rental market where tenants have almost no rights and buying costs 15x your salary?
#2772: Israelis Abroad: Beyond the Stigma of Yerida
Why do Israelis leave? And why does their departure carry such heavy moral baggage? The data tells a surprising story.
#2761: When a Strong Shekel Rewrites Labor Economics
How a surging shekel is reshaping Israel's labor market, crushing exporters, and creating unexpected winners among foreign workers.
#2686: Why Jerusalem Stays Poor Despite Its Pull
Why Jerusalem’s economy is broken, from the 1948 division to the modern housing crisis.
#2632: How to Start a Meetup Without Burning Out
Practical steps for launching a local community around any interest — without it taking over your life.
#2422: Rare Diseases: Incentives That Work and Backfire
How orphan drug policies created 800 new treatments—and the "orphan paradox" that lets blockbusters game the system.
#2138: Housing as National Defense in Israel
Why Israel's next election might focus on apartment prices instead of missiles—and how organizers are reframing housing as a security issue.
#2050: Is Impact Investing Just a Cult?
We explore the structural parallels between high-control groups and the ESG industry, from loaded language to isolation tactics.