Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Dallas, TX: $2,908 a month against $3,159 in Bakersfield, CA, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Bakersfield, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

153

Cost of Living Index in Bakersfield, CA
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Bakersfield, CA Living Index
141

Cost of Living Index in Dallas, TX
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Dallas, TX Living Index

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Bakersfield, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,159

/mo nomad

Dallas, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,908

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bakersfield, CA and in Dallas, 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 Dallas, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,159 in Bakersfield, CA versus $2,908 in Dallas, TX.

Bakersfield, CA $3,159
Dallas, TX $2,908

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,362 in Bakersfield, CA versus $4,359 in Dallas, TX.

Bakersfield, CA $4,362
Dallas, TX $4,359

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,565 in Bakersfield, CA versus $5,809 in Dallas, TX.

Bakersfield, CA $5,565
Dallas, TX $5,809

Living in Bakersfield, CA is roughly 9% more expensive than in Dallas, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bakersfield, CA 134% above, Dallas, TX 115% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.66 $18.66

$20.94 $20.94

-10.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 $64.5

$89.5 $89.5

-27.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.90 $13.90

$11.94 $11.94

16.42%

Cappuccino

$5.98 $5.98

$6.29 $6.29

-4.93%

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

$2.71 $2.71

$3.11 $3.11

-12.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.36 $2.36

-16.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.15 $6.15

$8.02 $8.02

-23.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.69 $5.69

$7.91 $7.91

-28.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$0.99 $0.99

10.10%

White Bread (500g)

$4.19 $4.19

$3.23 $3.23

29.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.18 $5.18

$4.90 $4.90

5.71%

Eggs

$3.29 $3.29

$4.91 $4.91

-32.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.88 $12.88

$13.15 $13.15

-2.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.22 $13.22

$11.10 $11.10

19.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 $16.09

$18.83 $18.83

-14.55%

Apples (1kg)

$4.13 $4.13

$5.75 $5.75

-28.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.56 $1.56

26.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.99 $3.99

$4.96 $4.96

-19.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$4.09 $4.09

-3.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.31 $2.31

-7.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$3.09 $3.09

-23.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.99 $1.99

3.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.84 $2.84

-13.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.06 $10.06

$9.92 $9.92

1.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.36 $18.36

$15.88 $15.88

15.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$3.36 $3.36

-43.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.61 $4.61

4.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.75 $1.75

$3.06 $3.06

-42.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.9 $55.9

$128 $128

-56.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 $3.07

$2.93 $2.93

4.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.80 $1.80

15.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.20 $24.20

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.03 $1.03

52.43%

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

$37.0K $37.0K

$36.0K $36.0K

2.82%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$28.9K $28.9K

-8.49%

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

$396 $396

$194 $194

104.24%

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

$58.7 $58.7

$60.1 $60.1

-2.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.1 $73.1

$66.3 $66.3

10.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.78 $38.78

$60.2 $60.2

-35.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.52 $24.52

$20.71 $20.71

18.40%

Cinema Ticket

$14.91 $14.91

$14.75 $14.75

1.08%

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

$1,504 $1,504

$2,044 $2,044

-26.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K $24.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.4 $60.4

$65.6 $65.6

-7.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.34 $47.34

$48.67 $48.67

-2.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$125 $125

-19.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$137 $137

-11.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,697 $1,697

$1,778 $1,778

-4.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,602 $1,602

$1,396 $1,396

14.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,321 $2,321

$3,824 $3,824

-39.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,430 $2,430

$2,414 $2,414

0.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,490 $2,490

$9,298 $9,298

-73.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,465 $2,465

$3,128 $3,128

-21.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,602 $3,602

$4,399 $4,399

-18.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

6.86

-6.27%

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

Last update for Bakersfield, CA: October 11, 2026

Last update for Dallas, TX: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bakersfield, CA

$1.6K 50.7%

Dallas, TX

$1.4K 48% 12.9% $206

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bakersfield, CA

$527 16.7%

Dallas, TX

$320 11% 39.3% $207

Groceries & Markets

Bakersfield, CA

$412 13.1%

Dallas, TX

$424 14.6% 2.9% $12

Eating Out

Bakersfield, CA

$324 10.3%

Dallas, TX

$357 12.3% 10.2% $33

Clothing & Footwear

Bakersfield, CA

$148 4.7%

Dallas, TX

$169 5.8% 14.3% $21

Getting Around

Bakersfield, CA

$76 2.4%

Dallas, TX

$152 5.2% 99.5% $76

Sport & Entertainment

Bakersfield, CA

$69 2.2%

Dallas, TX

$90 3.1% 30.8% $21

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,697 in Bakersfield, CA and $1,778 in Dallas, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dallas, TX pays 22% 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 $90.0 in Dallas, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $412 vs $424 per month, with Bakersfield, CA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Bakersfield, CA

🇺🇸 Dallas, TX

🕒 Local time

20:25 8:25 PM

22:25 10:25 PM

2 h ahead of Bakersfield, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

373,640

1,302,638

💱 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 Dallas, TX 2,060 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Dallas, TX is cheaper overall, especially in utilities. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 22% lower in Dallas, 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 $1,778 in Dallas, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Dallas, TX – a meal for two runs $90.0 versus $65.0 in Bakersfield, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,159 per month in Bakersfield, CA versus $2,908 in Dallas, TX – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

For families, Dallas, TX 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.

Expats usually find Dallas, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Bakersfield, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.