Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bakersfield, CA and San Jose

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,949 a month against $3,146 in Bakersfield, CA, rent and utilities included – about $14,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Bakersfield, CA
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Bakersfield, CA Living Index
93

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index

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Bakersfield, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,146

/mo nomad

San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,949

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bakersfield, CA and in San Jose

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 San Jose actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,146 in Bakersfield, CA versus $1,949 in San Jose.

Bakersfield, CA $3,146
San Jose $1,949

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,361 in Bakersfield, CA versus $2,903 in San Jose.

Bakersfield, CA $4,361
San Jose $2,903

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,575 in Bakersfield, CA versus $3,857 in San Jose.

Bakersfield, CA $5,575
San Jose $3,857

Living in Bakersfield, CA is roughly 61% more expensive than in San Jose, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bakersfield, CA 135% above, San Jose 45% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.87 $18.87

$12.22 ₡5,510

54.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.2 $64.2

$60.1 ₡27.1K

6.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.91 $13.91

$11.77 ₡5,305

18.18%

Cappuccino

$6.05 $6.05

$4.30 ₡1,939

40.70%

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

$2.67 $2.67

$2.72 ₡1,226

-1.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.84 ₡830

10.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.14 $6.14

$3.28 ₡1,480

87.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$4.36 ₡1,966

35.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$2.38 ₡1,074

-54.62%

White Bread (500g)

$4.16 $4.16

$3.12 ₡1,408

33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.41 ₡1,086

119.92%

Eggs

$3.42 $3.42

$3.47 ₡1,564

-1.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.83 $12.83

$10.57 ₡4,767

21.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.26 $13.26

$10.56 ₡4,758

25.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.95 $15.95

$13.75 ₡6,196

16.00%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 $4.14

$5.04 ₡2,274

-17.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.61 ₡727

28.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

$4.59 ₡2,069

-13.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$3.84 ₡1,731

-0.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 $2.19

$3.77 ₡1,700

-41.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 $2.41

$3.76 ₡1,693

-35.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.12 ₡506

90.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$3.20 ₡1,441

-26.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.95 $9.95

$5.84 ₡2,632

70.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.72 $17.72

$19.73 ₡8,897

-10.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$2.75 ₡1,240

-30.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 $4.76

$3.66 ₡1,650

30.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.12 ₡503

56.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.5 $57.5

$65.1 ₡29.4K

-11.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 $3.01

$2.46 ₡1,110

22.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.08 $2.08

$1.54 ₡692

35.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.46 ₡3,815

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.55 ₡699

-2.58%

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

$37.4K $37.4K

$21.7K ₡9.8M

72.19%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$34.9K ₡15.7M

-24.53%

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

$400 $400

$94.7 ₡42.7K

322.87%

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

$60.0 $60.0

$35.11 ₡15.8K

70.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.3 $74.3

$58.6 ₡26.4K

26.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.76 $38.76

$72.2 ₡32.5K

-46.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.77 $24.77

$25.19 ₡11.4K

-1.67%

Cinema Ticket

$15.05 $15.05

$7.83 ₡3,532

92.21%

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

$1,482 $1,482

$971 ₡437.9K

52.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K ₡7.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 $61.5

$71.6 ₡32.3K

-14.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.13 $48.13

$54.9 ₡24.7K

-12.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.7 $99.7

$129 ₡58.2K

-22.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 $123

$133 ₡60.0K

-7.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,694 $1,694

$934 ₡420.9K

81.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,567 $1,567

$770 ₡347.2K

103.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,401 $2,401

$1,945 ₡876.7K

23.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,511 $2,511

$1,316 ₡593.5K

90.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,496 $2,496

$2,277 ₡1.0M

9.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,464 $2,464

$1,795 ₡809.1K

37.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,646 $3,646

$1,006 ₡453.5K

262.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

8.62

-25.41%

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

Last update for Bakersfield, CA: October 6, 2026

Last update for San Jose: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bakersfield, CA

$1.6K 50%

San Jose

$770 39.9% 50.9% $797

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bakersfield, CA

$535 17.1%

San Jose

$188 9.8% 64.8% $346

Groceries & Markets

Bakersfield, CA

$411 13.1%

San Jose

$399 20.7% 2.9% $12

Eating Out

Bakersfield, CA

$327 10.4%

San Jose

$228 11.8% 30.2% $98

Clothing & Footwear

Bakersfield, CA

$150 4.8%

San Jose

$175 9.1% 16.9% $25

Getting Around

Bakersfield, CA

$78 2.5%

San Jose

$80 4.1% 2.3% $1.8

Sport & Entertainment

Bakersfield, CA

$69 2.2%

San Jose

$88 4.6% 27.6% $19

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,694 in Bakersfield, CA and $934 in San Jose. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bakersfield, CA pays 262% 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: $64.0 in Bakersfield, CA vs $60.0 in San Jose for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $411 vs $399 per month, with San Jose cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Bakersfield, CA

🇨🇷 San Jose

🕒 Local time

06:45 6:45 AM

07:45 7:45 AM

1 h ahead of Bakersfield, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

373,640

342,188 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 505 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

CRC to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Bakersfield, CA San Jose 4,520 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Bakersfield, CA
San Jose

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 San Jose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Jose is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 61% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 262% higher in Bakersfield, CA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,694 in Bakersfield, CA versus $934 in San Jose. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in San Jose – a meal for two runs $60.0 versus $64.0 in Bakersfield, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,146 per month in Bakersfield, CA versus $1,949 in San Jose – a 61% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,949 in San Jose versus $3,146 in Bakersfield, CA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in San Jose but tight or insufficient in Bakersfield, CA. The gap between the two cities makes San Jose the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, San Jose 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 San Jose gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Bakersfield, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.