Prices are changing. Milk and eggs drop by 4.5%, Mazda up by NIS 3,000, and fruits and vegetables may or may not be taxed.
Electricity rates drop on Thursday by approximately 5%, with private home use to cost 44.13 agorot per kilowatt (not including 15.5% Value Added Tax), down from 46.55 agorot. This means homeowners will now pay 13 cents per kilowatt. Commercial use costs 50 agorot before VAT. The drop comes on top of last month’s decrease of 2.2%.
Eggs, Milk, and Butter
On Sunday, the prices of eggs, milk and some milk products will drop by an average of 4.5%. A liter of 3% milk (about 5% more than a quart) will cost NIS 4.73 shekels, or approximately $1.20, and a 100-gram stick of butter will cost NIS 3.07 (78 cents).
A tray of 30 large-sized eggs will cost NIS 21.42 shekels, or about 18 cents an egg.
Bread
On the other hand, bread prices are slated to rise on June 22 by about 3.2% - leaving it still some 4% lower than it was at the beginning of the year, because of two price-drops since then. A simple half-kilo Sabbath challah bread will drop from NIS 5 to NIS 4.84.
Fruits and Vegetables
The proposed addition of VAT to fruits and vegetables is still being debated in the Knesset. It is possible that lawmakers will do away with this price hike, which would hurt the poor more than the rich, or replace it with extra benefits for the underprivileged classes.
Cars
The price of new cars is about to rise significantly, although some of them will benefit from a counter-drop based on the level of their environment-friendliness. Family 1.6-liter engine cars from Japan and Korea will be taxed by some NIS 10,000 more, but 65%-75% of the increase will be knocked off for “green” considerations. A new Mazda-3, for instance, will therefore cost some NIS 3,000 shekels more. Electric and hybrid cars will not see their taxes increased. The changes go into effect on August 1.
Gas
Gas prices have jumped some 29% since the beginning of the year, including two hikes over the past month. A liter of 95 octane fuel now costs NIS 6.14 ($1.56) at self-serve pumps, and 13 agorot more for full service.