Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Bakersfield, CA: $2,855 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $2,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index
137

Cost of Living Index in Bakersfield, CA
Learn more

Bakersfield, CA Living Index

Jump to prices

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Bakersfield, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,855

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Bakersfield, CA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chicago, IL and in Bakersfield, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL versus $2,855 in Bakersfield, CA.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Bakersfield, CA $2,855

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,518 in Chicago, IL versus $3,902 in Bakersfield, CA.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Bakersfield, CA $3,902

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,999 in Chicago, IL versus $4,949 in Bakersfield, CA.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Bakersfield, CA $4,949

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 6% more expensive than in Bakersfield, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 123% above, Bakersfield, CA 110% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$18.64 $18.64

11.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$64.8 $64.8

37.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$14.10 $14.10

-6.45%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.74 $5.74

-1.39%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.73 $2.73

-3.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.01 $2.01

13.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.90 $5.90

16.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$5.81 $5.81

52.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.09 $1.09

14.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.16 $4.16

-10.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$5.07 $5.07

6.31%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.29 $3.29

44.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.75 $12.75

8.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$13.34 $13.34

7.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$15.93 $15.93

15.38%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.16 $4.16

25.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.04 $2.04

-2.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.95 $3.95

2.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.79 $3.79

31.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.14 $2.14

24.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.42 $2.42

9.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.12 $2.12

5.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.48 $2.48

26.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$11.59 $11.59

19.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$17.80 $17.80

-16.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.97 $1.97

28.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.79 $4.79

-26.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.62 $1.62

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$58.1 $58.1

26.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.03 $3.03

4.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.07 $2.07

-32.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.52 $1.52

-21.05%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.5K $27.5K

27.42%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$27.2K $27.2K

-1.75%

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

$194 $194

$390 $390

-50.20%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$59.4 $59.4

17.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$74.9 $74.9

-17.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$32.71 $32.71

46.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$24.81 $24.81

10.20%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$15.11 $15.11

17.87%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,501 $1,501

19.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$59.9 $59.9

11.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$47.66 $47.66

9.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$98.9 $98.9

2.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$120 $120

19.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,536 $1,536

64.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,311 $1,311

20.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,828 $1,828

159.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,834 $1,834

46.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,742 $2,742

52.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,430 $2,430

13.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,743 $3,743

31.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.43

5.91%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Bakersfield, CA: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Bakersfield, CA

$1.3K 45.9% 16.9% $267

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Bakersfield, CA

$411 14.4% 8.1% $36

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Bakersfield, CA

$320 11.2% 7.1% $25

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Bakersfield, CA

$525 18.4% 61.2% $199

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Bakersfield, CA

$147 5.2% 10.3% $17

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Bakersfield, CA

$78 2.7% 16.5% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Bakersfield, CA

$63 2.2% 24.7% $21

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,526 in Chicago, IL and $1,536 in Bakersfield, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 32% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $89 in Chicago, IL vs $65 in Bakersfield, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $447 vs $411 per month, with Bakersfield, CA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Bakersfield, CA

🕒 Local time

17:12 5:12 PM

15:12 3:12 PM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

373,640

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Bakersfield, CA 2,800 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Bakersfield, CA

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

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

Bakersfield, CA is about 6% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 32% higher in Chicago, IL, 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: $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,536 in Bakersfield, CA. 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 $89 in Chicago, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL versus $2,855 in Bakersfield, CA – Bakersfield, CA is about 6% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

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 6% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.