Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dallas, TX and Bakersfield, CA

For one person, living costs are similar in Dallas, TX and in Bakersfield, CA: $2,898 and $2,855 a month, rent and utilities included.

139

Cost of Living Index in Dallas, TX
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Dallas, TX Living Index
137

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

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Dallas, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,898

/mo nomad

Bakersfield, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,855

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dallas, TX 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 Dallas, TX and in Bakersfield, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,898 in Dallas, TX versus $2,855 in Bakersfield, CA.

Dallas, TX $2,898
Bakersfield, CA $2,855

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,315 in Dallas, TX versus $3,902 in Bakersfield, CA.

Dallas, TX $4,315
Bakersfield, CA $3,902

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,733 in Dallas, TX versus $4,949 in Bakersfield, CA.

Dallas, TX $5,733
Bakersfield, CA $4,949

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dallas, TX 113% above, Bakersfield, CA 110% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.61 $20.61

$18.64 $18.64

10.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.3 $91.3

$64.8 $64.8

40.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.09 $12.09

$14.10 $14.10

-14.26%

Cappuccino

$6.31 $6.31

$5.74 $5.74

9.93%

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

$3.24 $3.24

$2.73 $2.73

18.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.01 $2.01

17.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.80 $7.80

$5.90 $5.90

32.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.79 $7.79

$5.81 $5.81

34.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.09 $1.09

-6.42%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 $3.21

$4.16 $4.16

-22.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$5.07 $5.07

-4.73%

Eggs

$4.69 $4.69

$3.29 $3.29

42.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.97 $12.97

$12.75 $12.75

1.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.32 $11.32

$13.34 $13.34

-15.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.41 $18.41

$15.93 $15.93

15.57%

Apples (1kg)

$5.97 $5.97

$4.16 $4.16

43.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.04 $2.04

-24.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.00 $5.00

$3.95 $3.95

26.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.23 $4.23

$3.79 $3.79

11.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.14 $2.14

6.54%

Onion (1kg)

$3.19 $3.19

$2.42 $2.42

31.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.12 $2.12

-4.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.48 $2.48

18.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.16 $10.16

$11.59 $11.59

-12.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.24 $16.24

$17.80 $17.80

-8.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.55 $3.55

$1.97 $1.97

80.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 $4.59

$4.79 $4.79

-4.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.62 $1.62

81.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$126 $126

$58.1 $58.1

117.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 $3.05

$3.03 $3.03

0.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.07 $2.07

-14.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.84 $23.84

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.52 $1.52

-32.89%

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

$36.6K $36.6K

$27.5K $27.5K

33.08%

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

$28.0K $28.0K

$27.2K $27.2K

3.14%

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

$198 $198

$390 $390

-49.28%

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

$58.7 $58.7

$59.4 $59.4

-1.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.1 $65.1

$74.9 $74.9

-13.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 $57.3

$32.71 $32.71

75.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.77 $20.77

$24.81 $24.81

-16.28%

Cinema Ticket

$15.09 $15.09

$15.11 $15.11

-0.13%

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

$2,028 $2,028

$1,501 $1,501

35.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K $24.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.7 $64.7

$59.9 $59.9

8.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.46 $49.46

$47.66 $47.66

3.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 $122

$98.9 $98.9

23.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 $137

$120 $120

13.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,817 $1,817

$1,536 $1,536

18.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,389 $1,389

$1,311 $1,311

6.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,084 $4,084

$1,828 $1,828

123.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,342 $2,342

$1,834 $1,834

27.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,624 $8,624

$2,742 $2,742

214.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,953 $2,953

$2,430 $2,430

21.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,493 $4,493

$3,743 $3,743

20.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.86

6.43

6.69%

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

Last update for Dallas, TX: 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

Dallas, TX

$1.4K 48%

Bakersfield, CA

$1.3K 45.9% 5.7% $79

Groceries & Markets

Dallas, TX

$427 14.8%

Bakersfield, CA

$411 14.4% 3.8% $16

Eating Out

Dallas, TX

$354 12.2%

Bakersfield, CA

$320 11.2% 9.5% $34

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dallas, TX

$322 11.1%

Bakersfield, CA

$525 18.4% 63% $203

Clothing & Footwear

Dallas, TX

$168 5.8%

Bakersfield, CA

$147 5.2% 12.4% $21

Getting Around

Dallas, TX

$150 5.2%

Bakersfield, CA

$78 2.7% 48% $72

Sport & Entertainment

Dallas, TX

$87 3%

Bakersfield, CA

$63 2.2% 28.1% $25

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,817 in Dallas, TX and $1,536 in Bakersfield, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dallas, TX pays 20% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $91 in Dallas, TX vs $65 in Bakersfield, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $427 vs $411 per month, with Bakersfield, CA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Dallas, TX

🇺🇸 Bakersfield, CA

🕒 Local time

09:43 9:43 AM

07:43 7:43 AM

2 h behind Dallas, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,302,638

373,640

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Dallas, TX Bakersfield, CA 2,060 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Dallas, TX
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

Dallas, TX vs Bakersfield, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Average pay runs 20% higher in Dallas, TX, 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: $1,817 in Dallas, TX versus $1,536 in Bakersfield, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Bakersfield, CA runs roughly 54% less than in Dallas, TX. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Dallas, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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.

It comes down to priorities – Bakersfield, CA wins on affordability, Dallas, TX on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.