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Cost of Living · California

Bakersfield Cost of Living

Bakersfield, California costs approximately 1.0% below the US national average. Compare with 99 other major US cities.

0.99×
cost-of-living index (1.00 = US national average)
Bakersfield ranks 13 of 13 cities in California by cost of living.
Cities MORE expensive than Bakersfield (51)
San Francisco, CA
+46.5% more expensive
Oakland, CA
+36.4% more expensive
New York City, NY
+33.3% more expensive
Honolulu, HI
+31.3% more expensive
Irvine, CA
+31.3% more expensive
Los Angeles, CA
+23.2% more expensive
Boston, MA
+23.2% more expensive
San Diego, CA
+22.2% more expensive
Yonkers, NY
+21.2% more expensive
Anchorage, AK
+21.2% more expensive
Seattle, WA
+19.2% more expensive
Long Beach, CA
+19.2% more expensive
Anaheim, CA
+19.2% more expensive
Scottsdale, AZ
+19.2% more expensive
Chula Vista, CA
+16.2% more expensive
Miami, FL
+13.1% more expensive
Portland, OR
+11.1% more expensive
Newark, NJ
+11.1% more expensive
Sacramento, CA
+11.1% more expensive
Riverside, CA
+11.1% more expensive
Denver, CO
+9.1% more expensive
Chicago, IL
+6.1% more expensive
Austin, TX
+6.1% more expensive
Baltimore, MD
+6.1% more expensive
Stockton, CA
+6.1% more expensive
Aurora, CO
+6.1% more expensive
Hialeah, FL
+6.1% more expensive
Frisco, TX
+6.1% more expensive
Las Vegas, NV
+5.1% more expensive
Minneapolis, MN
+5.1% more expensive
Plano, TX
+5.1% more expensive
Chandler, AZ
+5.1% more expensive
Phoenix, AZ
+3.0% more expensive
Philadelphia, PA
+3.0% more expensive
Atlanta, GA
+3.0% more expensive
Tampa, FL
+3.0% more expensive
Henderson, NV
+3.0% more expensive
Reno, NV
+3.0% more expensive
Gilbert, AZ
+3.0% more expensive
Charleston, SC
+3.0% more expensive
Salt Lake City, UT
+3.0% more expensive
Orlando, FL
+2.0% more expensive
Wilmington, DE
+1.0% more expensive
Raleigh, NC
+1.0% more expensive
Virginia Beach, VA
+1.0% more expensive
St. Paul, MN
+1.0% more expensive
Chesapeake, VA
+1.0% more expensive
North Las Vegas, NV
+1.0% more expensive
Boise, ID
+1.0% more expensive
Fresno, CA
+1.0% more expensive
Worcester, MA
+1.0% more expensive
Cities CHEAPER than Bakersfield (43)
Norfolk, VA
−1.0% cheaper
Jacksonville, FL
−2.0% cheaper
Charlotte, NC
−2.0% cheaper
Mesa, AZ
−2.0% cheaper
Houston, TX
−3.0% cheaper
Fort Worth, TX
−3.0% cheaper
Tucson, AZ
−3.0% cheaper
Glendale, AZ
−3.0% cheaper
Garland, TX
−3.0% cheaper
Spokane, WA
−3.0% cheaper
Pittsburgh, PA
−4.0% cheaper
Arlington, TX
−4.0% cheaper
Tallahassee, FL
−4.0% cheaper
Milwaukee, WI
−5.1% cheaper
Albuquerque, NM
−5.1% cheaper
New Orleans, LA
−5.1% cheaper
San Antonio, TX
−6.1% cheaper
Grand Rapids, MI
−6.1% cheaper
Columbus, OH
−7.1% cheaper
Detroit, MI
−7.1% cheaper
Cincinnati, OH
−7.1% cheaper
Kansas City, MO
−7.1% cheaper
Lexington, KY
−7.1% cheaper
Corpus Christi, TX
−7.1% cheaper
Buffalo, NY
−7.1% cheaper
Greensboro, NC
−7.1% cheaper
Knoxville, TN
−7.1% cheaper
El Paso, TX
−8.1% cheaper
Cleveland, OH
−8.1% cheaper
St. Louis, MO
−8.1% cheaper
Winston-Salem, NC
−8.1% cheaper
Indianapolis, IN
−9.1% cheaper
Louisville, KY
−9.1% cheaper
Omaha, NE
−9.1% cheaper
Memphis, TN
−10.1% cheaper
Oklahoma City, OK
−10.1% cheaper
Lincoln, NE
−10.1% cheaper
Birmingham, AL
−11.1% cheaper
Toledo, OH
−11.1% cheaper
Lubbock, TX
−11.1% cheaper
Wichita, KS
−13.1% cheaper
Fort Wayne, IN
−13.1% cheaper
Mobile, AL
−13.1% cheaper

What living in Bakersfield costs

Bakersfield carries a cost index of 0.99x the national baseline, placing it above 43 of the 99 metros tracked and below 51. Rent runs about $1,150 monthly; the median home is near $360,000.

The price-to-rent ratio here is roughly 26, which is high. Above about 20, renting and investing the down payment usually beats buying over a normal holding period — the purchase price is steep relative to what the same property earns as a rental.

Working and living here

Bakersfield is a metro of roughly 0.9M and growing steadily, running on oil and gas, agriculture, logistics. Larger employers include Chevron, Kern County government, Bakersfield Memorial Hospital.

California taxes income at the state level, and Bakersfield adds no separate city tax. Cost-of-living indexes exclude income tax entirely, so compare after-tax figures rather than index ratios when weighing this metro against one in a no-income-tax state.

Getting around: Bakersfield is effectively car-dependent. Budget for a car — around $9,000 a year all-in once insurance, fuel, maintenance and parking are counted, a cost the index assumes but does not itemise.

Climate: Semi-arid, hot-summer Mediterranean: January highs near 57°F/lows 40°F with tule fog common, July highs near 97°F/lows 70°F, very hot dry summers.

Kern County is the largest oil-producing county in California; despite being a California city, Bakersfield's home prices run far below coastal-CA metros.

Related tools

Paycheck calculator — take-home after federal, state and local tax. Salary calculator — pay by job and state. Compare against another metro.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Bakersfield expensive to live in?▾
Relative to the US average, roughly average — the cost index is 0.99x, above 43 and below 51 of the 99 other metros tracked here. A one-bedroom averages $1,150 a month and the median home $360,000.
What salary do you need to live comfortably in Bakersfield?▾
A common rule keeps rent under 30% of gross income, which at $1,150 a month implies about $46,000 a year for a one-bedroom. That is a floor rather than a comfortable figure — it leaves nothing for savings or the car this metro effectively requires.