Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bakersfield, CA and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Bakersfield, CA: $2,855 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $11,200 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
184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index

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Bakersfield, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,855

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bakersfield, CA and in Seattle, WA

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 Seattle, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,855 in Bakersfield, CA versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA.

Bakersfield, CA $2,855
Seattle, WA $3,785

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,902 in Bakersfield, CA versus $5,688 in Seattle, WA.

Bakersfield, CA $3,902
Seattle, WA $5,688

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,949 in Bakersfield, CA versus $7,592 in Seattle, WA.

Bakersfield, CA $4,949
Seattle, WA $7,592

Living in Bakersfield, CA costs roughly 25% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bakersfield, CA 110% above, Seattle, WA 178% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.64 $18.64

$25.30 $25.30

-26.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 $64.8

$101 $101

-35.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.10 $14.10

$14.76 $14.76

-4.47%

Cappuccino

$5.74 $5.74

$6.50 $6.50

-11.69%

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

$2.73 $2.73

$3.21 $3.21

-14.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$3.14 $3.14

-35.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.90 $5.90

$7.97 $7.97

-25.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 $5.81

$8.13 $8.13

-28.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.17 $1.17

-6.84%

White Bread (500g)

$4.16 $4.16

$5.30 $5.30

-21.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$6.40 $6.40

-20.78%

Eggs

$3.29 $3.29

$5.06 $5.06

-34.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.75 $12.75

$18.71 $18.71

-31.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.34 $13.34

$18.72 $18.72

-28.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.93 $15.93

$22.88 $22.88

-30.38%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 $4.16

$6.06 $6.06

-31.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.95 $1.95

4.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.95 $3.95

$5.51 $5.51

-28.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.79 $3.79

$6.52 $6.52

-41.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$3.49 $3.49

-38.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 $2.42

$3.29 $3.29

-26.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.80 $2.80

-24.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.58 $2.58

-3.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.59 $11.59

$12.49 $12.49

-7.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.80 $17.80

$14.87 $14.87

19.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$4.19 $4.19

-52.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 $4.79

$5.80 $5.80

-17.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.62 $1.62

$3.05 $3.05

-46.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.1 $58.1

$106 $106

-45.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.58 $2.58

17.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.64 $1.64

26.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.41 $1.41

7.80%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$36.8K $36.8K

-25.28%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$26.6K $26.6K

2.11%

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

$390 $390

$308 $308

26.91%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$69.2 $69.2

-14.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.9 $74.9

$86.1 $86.1

-13.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.71 $32.71

$76.5 $76.5

-57.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.81 $24.81

$35.50 $35.50

-30.11%

Cinema Ticket

$15.11 $15.11

$18.02 $18.02

-16.15%

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

$1,501 $1,501

$2,746 $2,746

-45.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 $59.9

$79.2 $79.2

-24.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.66 $47.66

$54.3 $54.3

-12.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 $98.9

$127 $127

-22.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 $120

$159 $159

-24.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,536 $1,536

$2,508 $2,508

-38.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 $1,311

$1,938 $1,938

-32.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,828 $1,828

$5,117 $5,117

-64.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 $1,834

$3,542 $3,542

-48.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,742 $2,742

$7,374 $7,374

-62.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,430 $2,430

$5,002 $5,002

-51.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,743 $3,743

$6,470 $6,470

-42.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

6.89

-6.68%

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

Last update for Bakersfield, CA: October 24, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bakersfield, CA

$1.3K 45.9%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 47.9% $628

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bakersfield, CA

$525 18.4%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 11.8% $62

Groceries & Markets

Bakersfield, CA

$411 14.4%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 33.1% $136

Eating Out

Bakersfield, CA

$320 11.2%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 26.8% $86

Clothing & Footwear

Bakersfield, CA

$147 5.2%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 28.3% $42

Getting Around

Bakersfield, CA

$78 2.7%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 65.4% $51

Sport & Entertainment

Bakersfield, CA

$63 2.2%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 78.8% $50

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,536 in Bakersfield, CA and $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 73% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $65 in Bakersfield, CA vs $101 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $411 vs $547 per month, with Bakersfield, CA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Bakersfield, CA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

11:04 11:04 AM

Same time as Bakersfield, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

373,640

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Bakersfield, CA Seattle, WA 1,390 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Bakersfield, CA
Seattle, WA

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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 Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bakersfield, CA is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 42% 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 $2,508 in Seattle, WA. 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 $101 in Seattle, WA. 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 $3,785 in Seattle, WA – a 33% 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 25% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.