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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.91 $20.91

$24.60 $24.60

-15.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.1 $98.1

$67.6 $67.6

45.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 $11.86

$12.53 $12.53

-5.35%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.64 $5.64

-0.71%

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

$3.07 $3.07

$2.55 $2.55

20.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.04 $2.04

21.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.14 $7.14

$5.60 $5.60

27.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.08 $8.08

$4.97 $4.97

62.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.02 $1.02

2.94%

White Bread (500g)

$4.11 $4.11

$3.70 $3.70

11.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.61 $5.61

$5.87 $5.87

-4.43%

Eggs

$4.51 $4.51

$2.96 $2.96

52.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.27 $14.27

$12.59 $12.59

13.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.89 $14.89

$16.04 $16.04

-7.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.19 $19.19

$16.61 $16.61

15.53%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$4.22 $4.22

21.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.69 $1.69

4.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$4.67 $4.67

-6.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$5.23 $5.23

-12.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.80 $1.80

41.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$3.02 $3.02

-8.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.62 $2.62

-7.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.89 $2.89

-9.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.92 $14.92

$10.34 $10.34

44.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.80 $14.80

$17.91 $17.91

-17.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.88 $1.88

30.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 $3.73

$4.57 $4.57

-18.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.41 $2.41

2.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.4 $75.4

$58.1 $58.1

29.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.04 $3.04

4.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$2.00 $2.00

-29.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.94 $24.94

$29.54 $29.54

-15.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.22 $1.22

-13.11%

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

$31.9K $31.9K

$24.4K $24.4K

31.04%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.3K $26.3K

-1.03%

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

$185 $185

$344 $344

-46.26%

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

$61.7 $61.7

$53.5 $53.5

15.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 $66.9

$72.6 $72.6

-7.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.2 $75.2

$36.80 $36.80

104.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.08 $13.08

$24.95 $24.95

-47.58%

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 $14.71

$14.94 $14.94

-1.54%

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

$2,020 $2,020

$1,529 $1,529

32.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.4K $39.4K

$23.6K $23.6K

67.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.6 $64.6

$47.01 $47.01

37.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.5 $52.5

$41.10 $41.10

27.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.8 $97.8

$93.4 $93.4

4.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 $148

$181 $181

-18.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,313 $2,313

$1,882 $1,882

22.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,590 $1,590

$1,464 $1,464

8.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,608 $4,608

$2,484 $2,484

85.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,779 $2,779

$2,466 $2,466

12.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,922 $3,922

$2,526 $2,526

55.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,613 $2,613

$2,436 $2,436

7.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,217 $5,217

$3,638 $3,638

43.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.56

0.61%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: May 30, 2026

Last update for Bakersfield, CA: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,313 in Chicago, IL and $1,882 in Bakersfield, CA. 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: $98.0 in Chicago, IL vs $68.0 in Bakersfield, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $447 vs $437 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

Chicago, IL vs Bakersfield, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chicago, IL pays 43% more on average, 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: $2,313 in Chicago, IL versus $1,882 in Bakersfield, CA. 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.