Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Minneapolis, MN and Bakersfield, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Minneapolis, MN: $2,772 a month against $3,159 in Bakersfield, CA, rent and utilities included – about $4,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Bakersfield, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

134

Cost of Living Index in Minneapolis, MN
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Minneapolis, MN Living Index
153

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

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Minneapolis, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,772

/mo nomad

Bakersfield, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,159

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,772 in Minneapolis, MN versus $3,159 in Bakersfield, CA.

Minneapolis, MN $2,772
Bakersfield, CA $3,159

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,125 in Minneapolis, MN versus $4,362 in Bakersfield, CA.

Minneapolis, MN $4,125
Bakersfield, CA $4,362

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,479 in Minneapolis, MN versus $5,565 in Bakersfield, CA.

Minneapolis, MN $5,479
Bakersfield, CA $5,565

Living in Minneapolis, MN costs roughly 12% less than in Bakersfield, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Minneapolis, MN 105% above, Bakersfield, CA 134% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.29 $22.29

$18.66 $18.66

19.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.9 $83.9

$64.5 $64.5

30.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.78 $11.78

$13.90 $13.90

-15.25%

Cappuccino

$6.75 $6.75

$5.98 $5.98

12.88%

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

$3.07 $3.07

$2.71 $2.71

13.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.98 $1.98

14.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.09 $7.09

$6.15 $6.15

15.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.86 $7.86

$5.69 $5.69

38.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.09 $1.09

-21.10%

White Bread (500g)

$3.48 $3.48

$4.19 $4.19

-16.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.66 $6.66

$5.18 $5.18

28.57%

Eggs

$3.65 $3.65

$3.29 $3.29

10.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.15 $10.15

$12.88 $12.88

-21.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.47 $13.47

$13.22 $13.22

1.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.29 $19.29

$16.09 $16.09

19.89%

Apples (1kg)

$5.63 $5.63

$4.13 $4.13

36.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.97 $1.97

-8.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.83 $6.83

$3.99 $3.99

71.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.05 $5.05

$3.93 $3.93

28.50%

Potato (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$2.13 $2.13

104.23%

Onion (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$2.35 $2.35

81.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.06 $2.06

10.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.45 $2.45

8.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.77 $12.77

$10.06 $10.06

26.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.94 $15.94

$18.36 $18.36

-13.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.90 $1.90

45.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$4.83 $4.83

19.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.75 $1.75

16.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.3 $83.3

$55.9 $55.9

49.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.10 $5.10

$3.07 $3.07

66.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.68 $1.68

$2.07 $2.07

-18.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.03 $24.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.57 $1.57

-34.39%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$37.0K $37.0K

-1.61%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$26.4K $26.4K

-3.33%

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

$179 $179

$396 $396

-54.73%

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

$55.3 $55.3

$58.7 $58.7

-5.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.5 $72.5

$73.1 $73.1

-0.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.6 $64.6

$38.78 $38.78

66.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.80 $27.80

$24.52 $24.52

13.38%

Cinema Ticket

$16.01 $16.01

$14.91 $14.91

7.38%

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

$1,381 $1,381

$1,504 $1,504

-8.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.1K $36.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 $59.1

$60.4 $60.4

-2.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.43 $43.43

$47.34 $47.34

-8.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

0.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$121 $121

-12.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,773 $1,773

$1,697 $1,697

4.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,306 $1,306

$1,602 $1,602

-18.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,817 $2,817

$2,321 $2,321

21.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,183 $2,183

$2,430 $2,430

-10.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,406 $3,406

$2,490 $2,490

36.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,163 $2,163

$2,465 $2,465

-12.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,128 $4,128

$3,602 $3,602

14.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.66

6.43

3.58%

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

Last update for Minneapolis, MN: October 11, 2026

Last update for Bakersfield, CA: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Minneapolis, MN

$1.3K 47.1%

Bakersfield, CA

$1.6K 50.7% 22.7% $297

Groceries & Markets

Minneapolis, MN

$452 16.3%

Bakersfield, CA

$412 13.1% 8.7% $39

Eating Out

Minneapolis, MN

$367 13.3%

Bakersfield, CA

$324 10.3% 11.9% $44

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Minneapolis, MN

$307 11.1%

Bakersfield, CA

$527 16.7% 71.9% $221

Clothing & Footwear

Minneapolis, MN

$139 5%

Bakersfield, CA

$148 4.7% 6.7% $9.3

Getting Around

Minneapolis, MN

$105 3.8%

Bakersfield, CA

$76 2.4% 27.3% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Minneapolis, MN

$97 3.5%

Bakersfield, CA

$69 2.2% 29% $28

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,773 in Minneapolis, MN and $1,697 in Bakersfield, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Minneapolis, MN pays 15% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $84.0 in Minneapolis, MN vs $65.0 in Bakersfield, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $452 vs $412 per month, with Bakersfield, CA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Minneapolis, MN

🇺🇸 Bakersfield, CA

🕒 Local time

19:19 7:19 PM

17:19 5:19 PM

2 h behind Minneapolis, MN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

429,954

373,640

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Minneapolis, MN Bakersfield, CA 2,420 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Minneapolis, MN
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

Minneapolis, MN vs Bakersfield, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Minneapolis, MN is cheaper overall, especially in clothing and utilities. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 15% higher in Minneapolis, MN, 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: $1,773 in Minneapolis, MN versus $1,697 in Bakersfield, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Minneapolis, MN – a meal for two runs $84.0 versus $65.0 in Bakersfield, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,772 per month in Minneapolis, MN versus $3,159 in Bakersfield, CA – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Minneapolis, MN is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Minneapolis, MN 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 Minneapolis, MN gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Bakersfield, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.