Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Bakersfield, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Bakersfield, CA: $2,855 a month against $4,941 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $25,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

239

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
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New York, NY Living Index
137

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

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New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,941

/mo nomad

Bakersfield, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,855

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,941 in New York, NY versus $2,855 in Bakersfield, CA.

New York, NY $4,941
Bakersfield, CA $2,855

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,225 in New York, NY versus $3,902 in Bakersfield, CA.

New York, NY $7,225
Bakersfield, CA $3,902

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,509 in New York, NY versus $4,949 in Bakersfield, CA.

New York, NY $9,509
Bakersfield, CA $4,949

Living in New York, NY is roughly 73% more expensive than in Bakersfield, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 263% above, Bakersfield, CA 110% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.55 $28.55

$18.64 $18.64

53.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$64.8 $64.8

82.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.04 $15.04

$14.10 $14.10

6.67%

Cappuccino

$6.53 $6.53

$5.74 $5.74

13.76%

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

$3.96 $3.96

$2.73 $2.73

45.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 $3.01

$2.01 $2.01

49.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.16 $8.16

$5.90 $5.90

38.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.84 $9.84

$5.81 $5.81

69.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.09 $1.09

25.69%

White Bread (500g)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.16 $4.16

19.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.81 $7.81

$5.07 $5.07

54.04%

Eggs

$5.97 $5.97

$3.29 $3.29

81.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$12.75 $12.75

48.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.04 $18.04

$13.34 $13.34

35.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.05 $19.05

$15.93 $15.93

19.59%

Apples (1kg)

$6.76 $6.76

$4.16 $4.16

62.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.04 $2.04

11.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.83 $6.83

$3.95 $3.95

72.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.09 $7.09

$3.79 $3.79

87.07%

Potato (1kg)

$4.22 $4.22

$2.14 $2.14

97.20%

Onion (1kg)

$4.65 $4.65

$2.42 $2.42

92.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.12 $2.12

35.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.48 $2.48

4.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.77 $18.77

$11.59 $11.59

61.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.13 $20.13

$17.80 $17.80

13.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$1.97 $1.97

75.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 $4.02

$4.79 $4.79

-16.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.62 $1.62

79.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$139 $139

$58.1 $58.1

138.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.03 $3.03

1.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.07 $2.07

2.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.96 $41.96

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.52 $1.52

-23.03%

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

$34.5K $34.5K

$27.5K $27.5K

25.39%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$27.2K $27.2K

-4.78%

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

$219 $219

$390 $390

-43.80%

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

$74.2 $74.2

$59.4 $59.4

25.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.2 $70.2

$74.9 $74.9

-6.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$112 $112

$32.71 $32.71

242.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$74.9 $74.9

$24.81 $24.81

201.73%

Cinema Ticket

$22.14 $22.14

$15.11 $15.11

46.53%

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

$3,558 $3,558

$1,501 $1,501

137.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$62.2K $62.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.6 $75.6

$59.9 $59.9

26.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$47.66 $47.66

7.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 $123

$98.9 $98.9

24.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 $140

$120 $120

16.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,499 $4,499

$1,536 $1,536

192.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,078 $3,078

$1,311 $1,311

134.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$9,447 $9,447

$1,828 $1,828

416.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,190 $5,190

$1,834 $1,834

182.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.1K $18.1K

$2,742 $2,742

560.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,693 $6,693

$2,430 $2,430

175.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,220 $5,220

$3,743 $3,743

39.46%

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 New York, NY: October 26, 2026

Last update for Bakersfield, CA: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

New York, NY

$3.1K 62.3%

Bakersfield, CA

$1.3K 45.9% 57.4% $1.8K

Groceries & Markets

New York, NY

$563 11.4%

Bakersfield, CA

$411 14.4% 27% $152

Eating Out

New York, NY

$440 8.9%

Bakersfield, CA

$320 11.2% 27.2% $120

Monthly Utilities & Internet

New York, NY

$364 7.4%

Bakersfield, CA

$525 18.4% 44.2% $161

Clothing & Footwear

New York, NY

$175 3.6%

Bakersfield, CA

$147 5.2% 16.1% $28

Getting Around

New York, NY

$164 3.3%

Bakersfield, CA

$78 2.7% 52.5% $86

Sport & Entertainment

New York, NY

$156 3.2%

Bakersfield, CA

$63 2.2% 59.7% $93

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,499 in New York, NY and $1,536 in Bakersfield, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New York, NY pays 39% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $118 in New York, NY vs $65 in Bakersfield, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $563 vs $411 per month, with Bakersfield, CA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🇺🇸 Bakersfield, CA

🕒 Local time

16:50 4:50 PM

13:50 1:50 PM

3 h behind New York, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,804,190

373,640

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

New York, NY Bakersfield, CA 3,930 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

New York, NY
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

New York, NY vs Bakersfield, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bakersfield, CA is about 42% 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 39% higher in New York, NY, 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: $4,499 in New York, NY 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 $118 in New York, NY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $4,941 per month in New York, NY versus $2,855 in Bakersfield, CA – Bakersfield, CA is about 42% 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 42% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.