Bakersfield, CA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Bakersfield, CA Summary
Cost of living in Bakersfield research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Bakersfield is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in California, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Bakersfield is 123, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Bakersfield is 1.2x higher than the national average.
Bakersfield ranks as the #137 cheapest in California out of 634.
Bakersfield ranks as the #4,598 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Bakersfield is $393,462.
The median income in Bakersfield is $77,397.
Table Of Contents
Bakersfield's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Bakersfield, CA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Bakersfield has an overall cost of living index of 123, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, Bakersfield has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than California's index of 141.
The standard of living in Bakersfield ranks as #137 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Bakersfield ranks as the #497 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in Bakersfield, check out:
In California
In America
Bakersfield Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Bakersfield. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Bakersfield is 104.
The Groceries index in Bakersfield is 107.
The Health index in Bakersfield is 92.
The Housing index in Bakersfield is 133.
The Transportation index in Bakersfield is 126.
The Utilities index in Bakersfield is 156.
| Living Expense | Bakersfield | California | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 123 | 141 | 100 | |
| Services | 104 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 107 | 112 | 100 | |
| Health | 92 | 110 | 100 | |
| Housing | 133 | 195 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 126 | 125 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 156 | 128 | 100 | |
Bakersfield, CA Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in California, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Bakersfield is $393,462.
The Median Rent in Bakersfield is $1,371.
The Median Income in Bakersfield is $77,397.
The Home Value To Income in Bakersfield is 5.1x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Bakersfield is 0.21x.
| Statistic | Bakersfield | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $393,462 | $763,287 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,371 | $1,956 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $77,397 | $96,334 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 5.1x | 7.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.21x | 0.24x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Bakersfield, CA Costs By Category
Detailed Bakersfield Services Costs Vs. California
| Item | Bakersfield | California |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.48 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $18.12 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $22.67 | $18 |
| Haircut | $26.25 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $89.33 | $45.56 |
Detailed Bakersfield Groceries Costs Vs. California
| Item | Bakersfield | California |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.77 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $2.63 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.91 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.9 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $13.49 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $11.13 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.75 | $3.7 |
Detailed Bakersfield Health Costs Vs. California
| Item | Bakersfield | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $142.2 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $131.33 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $131.5 | $113.29 |
Detailed Bakersfield Transportation Costs Vs. California
| Item | Bakersfield | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.62 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $61.0 | $59.92 |
Detailed Bakersfield Utilities Costs Vs. California
| Item | Bakersfield | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $231.4 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $193.81 | $192.25 |
Bakersfield SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Bakersfield
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Bakersfield. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Oildale, CA has a cost of living index of 110, 0.9x Bakersfield.
Shafter, CA has a cost of living index of 111, 0.9x Bakersfield.
Arvin, CA has a cost of living index of 111, 0.9x Bakersfield.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Bakersfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oildale, CA | 34,971 | 110 | 0.9x |
| Shafter, CA | 20,618 | 111 | 0.9x |
| Arvin, CA | 19,478 | 111 | 0.9x |
| Rosedale, CA | 19,325 | 137 | 1.1x |
| Lamont, CA | 13,481 | 107 | 0.9x |
