Cost of Living Comparison Between Bakersfield, CA and Chicago, IL Cost of Living Comparison Between Bakersfield, CA and Chicago, IL

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,089 in Bakersfield, CA versus $3,077 in Chicago, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,355 in Bakersfield, CA versus $4,628 in Chicago, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Bakersfield, CA versus $6,179 in Chicago, IL.

Monthly costs are close between Bakersfield, CA and Chicago, IL; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bakersfield, CA 131% above, Chicago, IL 130% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.60 $24.60

$20.91 $20.91

17.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.6 $67.6

$98.1 $98.1

-31.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.53 $12.53

$11.86 $11.86

5.65%

Cappuccino

$5.64 $5.64

$5.60 $5.60

0.71%

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

$2.55 $2.55

$3.07 $3.07

-16.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.47 $2.47

-17.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.60 $5.60

$7.14 $7.14

-21.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 $4.97

$8.08 $8.08

-38.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.05 $1.05

-2.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.70 $3.70

$4.11 $4.11

-9.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.87 $5.87

$5.61 $5.61

4.63%

Eggs

$2.96 $2.96

$4.51 $4.51

-34.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 $12.59

$14.27 $14.27

-11.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.04 $16.04

$14.89 $14.89

7.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.61 $16.61

$19.19 $19.19

-13.44%

Apples (1kg)

$4.22 $4.22

$5.14 $5.14

-17.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.77 $1.77

-4.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.67 $4.67

$4.39 $4.39

6.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.23 $5.23

$4.56 $4.56

14.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.54 $2.54

-29.13%

Onion (1kg)

$3.02 $3.02

$2.75 $2.75

9.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.42 $2.42

8.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.62 $2.62

10.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.34 $10.34

$14.92 $14.92

-30.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.91 $17.91

$14.80 $14.80

21.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 $1.88

$2.46 $2.46

-23.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.57 $4.57

$3.73 $3.73

22.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.48 $2.48

-2.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.1 $58.1

$75.4 $75.4

-23.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.18 $3.18

-4.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.42 $1.42

40.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.54 $29.54

$24.94 $24.94

18.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.06 $1.06

15.09%

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

$24.4K $24.4K

$31.9K $31.9K

-23.69%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$26.0K $26.0K

1.04%

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

$344 $344

$185 $185

86.06%

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

$53.5 $53.5

$61.7 $61.7

-13.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.6 $72.6

$66.9 $66.9

8.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.80 $36.80

$75.2 $75.2

-51.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.95 $24.95

$13.08 $13.08

90.75%

Cinema Ticket

$14.94 $14.94

$14.71 $14.71

1.56%

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

$1,529 $1,529

$2,020 $2,020

-24.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K $23.6K

$39.4K $39.4K

-40.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.01 $47.01

$64.6 $64.6

-27.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.10 $41.10

$52.5 $52.5

-21.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.4 $93.4

$97.8 $97.8

-4.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$181 $181

$148 $148

22.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,882 $1,882

$2,313 $2,313

-18.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,464 $1,464

$1,590 $1,590

-7.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,484 $2,484

$4,608 $4,608

-46.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,466 $2,466

$2,779 $2,779

-11.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,526 $2,526

$3,922 $3,922

-35.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,436 $2,436

$2,613 $2,613

-6.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,638 $3,638

$5,217 $5,217

-30.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

6.6

-0.61%

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

Last update for Bakersfield, CA: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,882 in Bakersfield, CA and $2,313 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 43% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $68.0 in Bakersfield, CA vs $98.0 in Chicago, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $437 vs $447 per month, with Bakersfield, CA cheaper across the board.

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 Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, Chicago, IL earns 43% less. 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: $1,882 in Bakersfield, CA versus $2,313 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chicago, IL runs roughly 30% less than in Bakersfield, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Shoppers in Bakersfield, CA pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Chicago, IL is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Chicago, IL is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Bakersfield, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

It comes down to priorities – Chicago, IL wins on affordability, Bakersfield, CA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.