Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bakersfield, CA and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,663 a month against $3,159 in Bakersfield, CA, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

153

Cost of Living Index in Bakersfield, CA
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Bakersfield, CA Living Index
130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Bakersfield, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,159

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bakersfield, CA and in Austin, TX

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bakersfield, CA and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,159 in Bakersfield, CA versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Bakersfield, CA $3,159
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,362 in Bakersfield, CA versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Bakersfield, CA $4,362
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,565 in Bakersfield, CA versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Bakersfield, CA $5,565
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Bakersfield, CA is roughly 19% more expensive than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bakersfield, CA 134% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.66 $18.66

$20.77 $20.77

-10.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 $64.5

$84.6 $84.6

-23.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.90 $13.90

$12.32 $12.32

12.82%

Cappuccino

$5.98 $5.98

$5.63 $5.63

6.22%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$3.72 $3.72

-27.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.50 $2.50

-20.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.15 $6.15

$8.05 $8.05

-23.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.69 $5.69

$9.01 $9.01

-36.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.12 $1.12

-2.68%

White Bread (500g)

$4.19 $4.19

$3.75 $3.75

11.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.18 $5.18

$3.26 $3.26

58.90%

Eggs

$3.29 $3.29

$4.17 $4.17

-21.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.88 $12.88

$12.90 $12.90

-0.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.22 $13.22

$14.16 $14.16

-6.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 $16.09

$16.22 $16.22

-0.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.13 $4.13

$4.33 $4.33

-4.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.46 $1.46

34.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.99 $3.99

$4.51 $4.51

-11.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$4.34 $4.34

-9.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.58 $2.58

-17.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.78 $1.78

15.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.22 $2.22

10.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.06 $10.06

$9.88 $9.88

1.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.36 $18.36

$15.08 $15.08

21.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$2.92 $2.92

-34.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.83 $4.83

$3.46 $3.46

39.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.49 $1.49

17.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.9 $55.9

$41.72 $41.72

34.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 $3.07

$2.73 $2.73

12.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.66 $1.66

24.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 $1.57

$0.95 $0.95

65.26%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$37.0K $37.0K

$36.0K $36.0K

2.63%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.4K $26.4K

$27.1K $27.1K

-2.44%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$396 $396

$229 $229

72.79%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$58.7 $58.7

$59.4 $59.4

-1.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.1 $73.1

$69.9 $69.9

4.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.78 $38.78

$57.2 $57.2

-32.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.52 $24.52

$16.33 $16.33

50.15%

Cinema Ticket

$14.91 $14.91

$14.28 $14.28

4.41%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,504 $1,504

$1,506 $1,506

-0.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.4 $60.4

$52.8 $52.8

14.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.34 $47.34

$43.82 $43.82

8.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$84.8 $84.8

18.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$103 $103

17.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,697 $1,697

$1,907 $1,907

-11.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,602 $1,602

$1,274 $1,274

25.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,321 $2,321

$3,664 $3,664

-36.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,430 $2,430

$2,538 $2,538

-4.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,490 $2,490

$7,614 $7,614

-67.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,465 $2,465

$3,157 $3,157

-21.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,602 $3,602

$5,121 $5,121

-29.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

6.79

-5.30%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bakersfield, CA: October 11, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Bakersfield, CA

$1.6K 50.7%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 20.5% $328

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bakersfield, CA

$527 16.7%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 32.1% $169

Groceries & Markets

Bakersfield, CA

$412 13.1%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 1.9% $7.7

Eating Out

Bakersfield, CA

$324 10.3%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 9.3% $30

Clothing & Footwear

Bakersfield, CA

$148 4.7%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 13.5% $20

Getting Around

Bakersfield, CA

$76 2.4%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 23.1% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Bakersfield, CA

$69 2.2%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 25.1% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,697 in Bakersfield, CA and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 42% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $65.0 in Bakersfield, CA vs $85.0 in Austin, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $412 vs $405, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Bakersfield, CA

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

20:25 8:25 PM

22:25 10:25 PM

2 h ahead of Bakersfield, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

373,640

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Bakersfield, CA Austin, TX 2,060 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Bakersfield, CA
Austin, TX

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bakersfield, CA vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Bakersfield, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 42% lower in Austin, TX. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,697 in Bakersfield, CA versus $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,159 per month in Bakersfield, CA versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 34% less than in Bakersfield, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Austin, TX is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Bakersfield, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.