Cost of living in Bakersfield

In Bakersfield, United States, a family of four typically needs around $5332 per month including rent. A single person may spend about $2271 monthly.

How expensive is Bakersfield compared to other cities?

Bakersfield is 59% more expensive overall versus the European benchmark.

How does Bakersfield compare to your city?

Bakersfield is 38% cheaper than New York City, without rent.

Rent in Bakersfield is, on average, 47% lower than in New York City.

What drives the cost of living in Bakersfield?

Who is Bakersfield a good fit for?

Bakersfield is most realistic when moving with a strong job offer or relocation package. Without high income, the housing-driven price level can be difficult to sustain.

FAQ

Why is Bakersfield so expensive?

The primary driver of expense in Bakersfield is the high cost of rent and utilities, which significantly impacts overall living costs.

Is food expensive in Bakersfield?

Yes, food costs are 34% higher compared to the European benchmark, making grocery shopping more costly.

Is public transport affordable in Bakersfield?

Public transport is 45% higher than the European benchmark, which may affect commuting choices for residents.

Cost of living breakdown

Cost of Living, one person, including rent
2271 $
Without Rent
894 $
Rent & Utilities
1378 $
Food
637 $
Transport
108 $
Monthly Salary, after tax
4343 $
GDP per Capita
81,695 $
Freedom Index
8.39
Lifespan
77 years
Speak English
96%
Population
403.0K

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Update Prices

Restaurants

Lunch menu, inexpensive restaurant 20.6 $
Dinner 59.7 $
Fast food, McDonalds or KFC 11.4 $
Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz 5.98 $
Capuccino 5.51 $
Coke, 330ml 2.55 $

Compare Bakersfield with:

Markets

Milk, 1 L or 1 qt 1.06 $
Bread, 0.5 kg or 1 lb 3.28 $
Rice, 1 kg or 2 lb 4.37 $
Eggs, 12 pack 3.1 $
Cheese, 1 kg or 2 lb 13.1 $
Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2 lb 12.7 $
Round Steak, 1 kg or 2 lb 16.5 $
Apples, 1 kg or 2 lb 4.81 $
Banana, 1 kg or 2 lb 1.65 $
Oranges, 1 kg or 2 lb 5.08 $
Tomato, 1 kg or 2 lb 4.77 $
Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb 1.73 $
Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb 2.97 $
Water, 1 L or 1 qt 2.15 $
Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz 2.19 $
Wine, 750 mL bottle 15.2 $
Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz 2.18 $
Cigarette pack 10.7 $

Transportation

One-way Ticket 3.03 $
Monthly Pass 46.4 $
Gas or Petrol, 1l or 0.26 gal 1.21 $
Taxi, 8 km 22.2 $

Personal Care

Doctor Visit, private clinic 109 $
Cold medicine, for 1 week 9.36 $
Hair Shampoo, 400 ml or 12 oz. 5.14 $
Toilet paper, 4 rolls 3.36 $
Toothpaste, 1 tube 1.81 $

Utilities per Month

1 person, electricity, heating, water & garbage 171 $
Family of 4, electricity, heating, water & garbage 261 $
Internet plan, +60 Mbps 63.5 $

Rent per Month

1 Bedroom Apartment, outside of center, 40 sq.m 1,101 $
3 Bedroom Apartment, outside of center, 85 sq.m 1,941 $
1 Bedroom Apartment, in city center, 40 sq.m 1,313 $
3 Bedroom Apartment, in city center, 85 sq.m 2,078 $

Buy Apartment Price

Price per Square Meter to Buy Apartment, in city center 2,174 $
Price per Square Meter to Buy House, in suburbs 2,435 $

Salaries and Financing

Average Monthly Net Salary, after tax 4,343 $
Mortgage Interest Rate, for 20 years fixed-rate 6.52%

Sports and Leisure

Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult 24.9 $
Cinema, 1 seat 14.2 $
Haircut 17.7 $

Clothing and Shoes

Brand Sneakers, mid-range, Nike or similar 93.3 $
Brand Jeans, Levis 501 52.2 $

Childcare

Preschool, full day, monthly for 1 child 1,415 $
International Primary School, yearly for 1 child 24,446 $

Compare Bakersfield with other top cities

Cayman Islands
Bakersfield vs George Town (George Town is 60% more expensive)
Bahamas
Bakersfield vs Nassau (Nassau is 21% more expensive) Bakersfield vs Freeport (Freeport is 3% less expensive)
Vanuatu
Bakersfield vs Port Vila (Port Vila is 3% more expensive) Bakersfield vs Luganville (Luganville is 34% more expensive)
United States
Bakersfield vs New York City (New York City is 78% more expensive) Bakersfield vs Los Angeles (Los Angeles is 40% more expensive) Bakersfield vs Chicago (Chicago is 17% more expensive) Bakersfield vs Houston (Houston is 1% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Phoenix (Phoenix is 4% more expensive) Bakersfield vs Philadelphia (Philadelphia is 12% more expensive) Bakersfield vs San Antonio (San Antonio is 3% less expensive) Bakersfield vs San Diego (San Diego is 47% more expensive) Bakersfield vs Dallas (Dallas is 12% more expensive) Bakersfield vs San Jose (San Jose is 62% more expensive)
Canada
Bakersfield vs Toronto (Toronto is 13% more expensive) Bakersfield vs Montreal (Montreal is 14% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Calgary (Calgary is 5% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Ottawa (Ottawa is 2% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Edmonton (Edmonton is 21% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Winnipeg (Winnipeg is 23% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Mississauga (Mississauga is 9% more expensive) Bakersfield vs Vancouver (Vancouver is 17% more expensive) Bakersfield vs Brampton (Brampton is 6% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Hamilton (Hamilton is 5% less expensive)
Barbados
Bakersfield vs Bridgetown (Bridgetown is 40% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Holetown (Holetown is 39% less expensive)
Panama
Bakersfield vs Panama City (Panama City is 39% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Colon (Colon is 48% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Tocumen (Tocumen is 46% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Santiago de Veraguas (Santiago de Veraguas is 54% less expensive) Bakersfield vs David (David is 63% less expensive) Bakersfield vs La Chorrera (La Chorrera is 58% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Balboa (Balboa is 45% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Pacora (Pacora is 45% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Chitre (Chitre is 52% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Penonome (Penonome is 52% less expensive)
Saint Kitts And Nevis
Bakersfield vs Basseterre (Basseterre is 45% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Cayon (Cayon is 45% less expensive)
Cuba
Bakersfield vs Havana (Havana is 55% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Santiago de Cuba (Santiago de Cuba is 38% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Holguin (Holguin is 44% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Camaguey (Camaguey is 33% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Santa Clara (Santa Clara is 54% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Bayamo (Bayamo is 49% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Guantanamo (Guantanamo is 31% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Las Tunas (Las Tunas is 31% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Pinar del Rio (Pinar del Rio is 52% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Cienfuegos (Cienfuegos is 61% less expensive)
Costa Rica
Bakersfield vs San Jose (San Jose is 45% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Limon (Limon is 47% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Liberia (Liberia is 60% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Alajuela (Alajuela is 46% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Puntarenas (Puntarenas is 44% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Cartago (Cartago is 58% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Heredia (Heredia is 45% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Tamarindo (Tamarindo is 26% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Santa Teresa (Santa Teresa is 42% less expensive)
Saint Lucia
Bakersfield vs Castries (Castries is 49% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Vieux Fort (Vieux Fort is 47% less expensive)
Jamaica
Bakersfield vs Kingston (Kingston is 42% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Spanish Town (Spanish Town is 66% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Montego Bay (Montego Bay is 55% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Half Way Tree (Half Way Tree is 49% less expensive) Bakersfield vs May Pen (May Pen is 64% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Mandeville (Mandeville is 57% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Old Harbour (Old Harbour is 63% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Linstead (Linstead is 54% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Savanna-la-Mar (Savanna-la-Mar is 51% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Port Antonio (Port Antonio is 50% less expensive)
El Salvador
Bakersfield vs San Salvador (San Salvador is 48% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Santa Ana (Santa Ana is 69% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Soyapango (Soyapango is 48% less expensive) Bakersfield vs San Miguel (San Miguel is 52% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Mejicanos (Mejicanos is 49% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Apopa (Apopa is 50% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Santa Tecla (Santa Tecla is 47% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Ahuachapan (Ahuachapan is 36% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Usulutan (Usulutan is 52% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Sonsonate (Sonsonate is 61% less expensive)
Antigua And Barbuda
Bakersfield vs St. John's (St. John's is 52% less expensive) Bakersfield vs All Saints (All Saints is 52% less expensive)
Grenada
Bakersfield vs St. George's (St. George's is 53% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Grenville (Grenville is 53% less expensive)
Dominica
Bakersfield vs Roseau (Roseau is 56% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Portsmouth (Portsmouth is 50% less expensive)
Saint Vincent
Bakersfield vs Kingstown (Kingstown is 57% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Georgetown (Georgetown is 56% less expensive)
Belize
Bakersfield vs Belize City (Belize City is 61% less expensive) Bakersfield vs San Ignacio (San Ignacio is 52% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Belmopan (Belmopan is 68% less expensive) Bakersfield vs San Pedro Town (San Pedro Town is 41% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Caye Caulker (Caye Caulker is 31% less expensive)
Guatemala
Bakersfield vs Guatemala City (Guatemala City is 56% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Mixco (Mixco is 72% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Coban (Coban is 60% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Quetzaltenango (Quetzaltenango is 66% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Jalapa (Jalapa is 60% less expensive) Bakersfield vs San Miguel Petapa (San Miguel Petapa is 60% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Momostenango (Momostenango is 62% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Mazatenango (Mazatenango is 62% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Flores (Flores is 62% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Panajachel (Panajachel is 65% less expensive)
Honduras
Bakersfield vs Tegucigalpa (Tegucigalpa is 63% less expensive) Bakersfield vs San Pedro Sula (San Pedro Sula is 54% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Choloma (Choloma is 74% less expensive) Bakersfield vs La Ceiba (La Ceiba is 71% less expensive) Bakersfield vs El Progreso (El Progreso is 61% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Villanueva (Villanueva is 62% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Comayagua (Comayagua is 69% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Puerto Cortes (Puerto Cortes is 68% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Yoro (Yoro is 68% less expensive) Bakersfield vs La Lima (La Lima is 62% less expensive)
Dominican Republic
Bakersfield vs Santiago de los Caballeros (Santiago de los Caballeros is 65% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Santo Domingo (Santo Domingo is 54% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Puerto Plata (Puerto Plata is 66% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Higuey (Higuey is 66% less expensive) Bakersfield vs La Vega (La Vega is 75% less expensive) Bakersfield vs San Cristobal (San Cristobal is 63% less expensive) Bakersfield vs San Pedro de Macoris (San Pedro de Macoris is 68% less expensive) Bakersfield vs San Francisco de Macoris (San Francisco de Macoris is 77% less expensive) Bakersfield vs San Juan de la Maguana (San Juan de la Maguana is 72% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Bonao (Bonao is 76% less expensive)
Nicaragua
Bakersfield vs Managua (Managua is 66% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Leon (Leon is 72% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Masaya (Masaya is 69% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Matagalpa (Matagalpa is 76% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Chinandega (Chinandega is 72% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Esteli (Esteli is 74% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Granada (Granada is 69% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Jinotega (Jinotega is 80% less expensive) Bakersfield vs Juigalpa (Juigalpa is 71% less expensive) Bakersfield vs San Juan del Sur (San Juan del Sur is 61% less expensive)