Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bakersfield, CA and New York, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Bakersfield, CA: $2,855 a month against $4,941 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $25,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

137

Cost of Living Index in Bakersfield, CA
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Bakersfield, CA Living Index
239

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
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New York, NY Living Index

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Bakersfield, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,855

/mo nomad

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,941

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bakersfield, CA and in New York, NY

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 New York, NY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,855 in Bakersfield, CA versus $4,941 in New York, NY.

Bakersfield, CA $2,855
New York, NY $4,941

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,902 in Bakersfield, CA versus $7,225 in New York, NY.

Bakersfield, CA $3,902
New York, NY $7,225

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,949 in Bakersfield, CA versus $9,509 in New York, NY.

Bakersfield, CA $4,949
New York, NY $9,509

Living in Bakersfield, CA costs roughly 42% less than in New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bakersfield, CA 110% above, New York, NY 263% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.64 $18.64

$28.55 $28.55

-34.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 $64.8

$118 $118

-45.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.10 $14.10

$15.04 $15.04

-6.25%

Cappuccino

$5.74 $5.74

$6.53 $6.53

-12.10%

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

$2.73 $2.73

$3.96 $3.96

-31.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$3.01 $3.01

-33.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.90 $5.90

$8.16 $8.16

-27.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 $5.81

$9.84 $9.84

-40.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.37 $1.37

-20.44%

White Bread (500g)

$4.16 $4.16

$4.97 $4.97

-16.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$7.81 $7.81

-35.08%

Eggs

$3.29 $3.29

$5.97 $5.97

-44.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.75 $12.75

$18.91 $18.91

-32.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.34 $13.34

$18.04 $18.04

-26.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.93 $15.93

$19.05 $19.05

-16.38%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 $4.16

$6.76 $6.76

-38.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.27 $2.27

-10.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.95 $3.95

$6.83 $6.83

-42.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.79 $3.79

$7.09 $7.09

-46.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$4.22 $4.22

-49.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 $2.42

$4.65 $4.65

-47.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.87 $2.87

-26.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.60 $2.60

-4.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.59 $11.59

$18.77 $18.77

-38.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.80 $17.80

$20.13 $20.13

-11.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$3.45 $3.45

-42.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 $4.79

$4.02 $4.02

19.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.62 $1.62

$2.91 $2.91

-44.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.1 $58.1

$139 $139

-58.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.08 $3.08

-1.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.12 $2.12

-2.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.96 $41.96

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.17 $1.17

29.91%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$34.5K $34.5K

-20.25%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$25.9K $25.9K

5.02%

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

$390 $390

$219 $219

77.93%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$74.2 $74.2

-20.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.9 $74.9

$70.2 $70.2

6.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.71 $32.71

$112 $112

-70.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.81 $24.81

$74.9 $74.9

-66.86%

Cinema Ticket

$15.11 $15.11

$22.14 $22.14

-31.75%

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

$1,501 $1,501

$3,558 $3,558

-57.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$62.2K $62.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 $59.9

$75.6 $75.6

-20.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.66 $47.66

$51.2 $51.2

-6.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 $98.9

$123 $123

-19.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 $120

$140 $140

-13.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,536 $1,536

$4,499 $4,499

-65.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 $1,311

$3,078 $3,078

-57.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,828 $1,828

$9,447 $9,447

-80.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 $1,834

$5,190 $5,190

-64.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,742 $2,742

$18.1K $18.1K

-84.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,430 $2,430

$6,693 $6,693

-63.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,743 $3,743

$5,220 $5,220

-28.30%

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 24, 2026

Last update for New York, NY: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bakersfield, CA

$1.3K 45.9%

New York, NY

$3.1K 62.3% 135% $1.8K

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bakersfield, CA

$525 18.4%

New York, NY

$364 7.4% 30.6% $161

Groceries & Markets

Bakersfield, CA

$411 14.4%

New York, NY

$563 11.4% 37% $152

Eating Out

Bakersfield, CA

$320 11.2%

New York, NY

$440 8.9% 37.4% $120

Clothing & Footwear

Bakersfield, CA

$147 5.2%

New York, NY

$175 3.6% 19.2% $28

Getting Around

Bakersfield, CA

$78 2.7%

New York, NY

$164 3.3% 111% $86

Sport & Entertainment

Bakersfield, CA

$63 2.2%

New York, NY

$156 3.2% 148% $93

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,536 in Bakersfield, CA and $4,499 in New York, NY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New York, NY pays 39% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $65 in Bakersfield, CA vs $118 in New York, NY for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $411 vs $563 per month, with Bakersfield, CA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Bakersfield, CA

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🕒 Local time

11:06 11:06 AM

14:06 2:06 PM

3 h ahead of Bakersfield, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

373,640

8,804,190

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Bakersfield, CA New York, NY 3,930 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Bakersfield, CA
New York, NY

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 New York, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bakersfield, CA is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 73% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 28% lower in Bakersfield, CA. 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: $1,536 in Bakersfield, CA versus $4,499 in New York, NY. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bakersfield, CA – a meal for two runs $65 versus $118 in New York, NY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $2,855 per month in Bakersfield, CA versus $4,941 in New York, NY – a 73% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Bakersfield, CA 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 Bakersfield, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.