$23K a Month: True Cost of IDF Reservist Revealed
New data reveals IDF reserve duty costs the economy $22,825 monthly for non-Haredi men aged 31-39, a significant increase from 2024.
Jerusalem, 25 August, 2026 (TPS-IL) — According to new data published Tuesday by Finance Ministry chief economist Shmuel Abramzon, the economic cost of one month of reserve duty for a non-Haredi Jewish man aged 31 to 39 has reached about $22,825, up from $18,126 in March 2024.
The figure is not government compensation. It estimates the broader economic cost, including lost output, reduced seniority, and its long-term impact on wages and productivity, as well as reduced working hours by spouses in families with young children.
For men aged 22 to 30, the monthly cost rose from $11,077 to about $13,091.
Reservists who miss work also earn significantly more than those who are not called up: about $6,310 monthly, compared with $4,464, a 42% gap.
The Finance Ministry’s previous estimate assumed reservists earned roughly the average wage for their age group, underestimating the cost to the economy.