Customers sit at a coffee shop in Tel Aviv, Israel, June 7, 2020. Photo: Reuters / Ronen Zvulun.

JNS.org – The results of a recent survey, conducted by Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), illustrate the adage that “money can’t buy happiness.”

The CBS analyzed 16 cities based on their standard of living. The cities were divided into three categories.

The first category includes the cities with the highest standard of living: Kfar Saba, Ramat Gan, Rehovot, Tel Aviv-Jaffa and Rishon Lezion. The second group included Holon, Beersheba, Petach Tikvah, Haifa, Netanya and Bnei Brak, all ranked as cities with a mid-level quality of life. The third group consisted of Beit Shemesh, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Bat Yam and Jerusalem, whose living standards the CBS ranked lowest.

The first five cities stand out for employment, housing density, ability to be promoted at work, access to computers and more possibility of professional advancement for women. The investment in the cities’ appearance was evident as well, with an emphasis on parks, sanitation and the environment.