Cost of Living Comparison Between Palm Springs, CA and Bakersfield, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Palm Springs, CA and Bakersfield, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,968 in Palm Springs, CA versus $3,085 in Bakersfield, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,680 in Palm Springs, CA versus $4,415 in Bakersfield, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,393 in Palm Springs, CA versus $5,746 in Bakersfield, CA.

Living in Palm Springs, CA costs roughly 4% less than in Bakersfield, CA, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Palm Springs, CA 122% above, Bakersfield, CA 131% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.06 $30.06

$24.86 $24.86

20.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 $102

$67.3 $67.3

51.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.07 $10.07

$12.70 $12.70

-20.71%

Cappuccino

$5.50 $5.50

$5.69 $5.69

-3.34%

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

$2.36 $2.36

$2.64 $2.64

-10.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 $1.40

$1.97 $1.97

-28.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.05 $5.05

$5.66 $5.66

-10.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.51 $7.51

$5.12 $5.12

46.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.01 $1.01

36.63%

White Bread (500g)

$4.84 $4.84

$3.76 $3.76

28.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$5.75 $5.75

-48.87%

Eggs

$5.10 $5.10

$2.91 $2.91

75.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.25 $14.25

$12.29 $12.29

15.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.97 $14.97

$15.59 $15.59

-3.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.75 $11.75

$16.66 $16.66

-29.47%

Apples (1kg)

$6.01 $6.01

$4.30 $4.30

39.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.49 $2.49

$1.73 $1.73

43.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.31 $5.31

$4.76 $4.76

11.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$5.43 $5.43

-20.26%

Potato (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$1.86 $1.86

131.72%

Onion (1kg)

$4.30 $4.30

$3.00 $3.00

43.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.63 $2.63

-17.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$2.84 $2.84

-19.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.23 $15.23

$10.56 $10.56

44.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.52 $13.52

$18.35 $18.35

-26.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.96 $1.96

-18.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$4.53 $4.53

-51.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.37 $2.37

-17.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.26 $34.26

$57.7 $57.7

-40.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 $3.02

$2.96 $2.96

2.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 $1.38

$2.00 $2.00

-31.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$37.67 $37.67

$29.35 $29.35

28.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.27 $1.27

-0.79%

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

$30.3K $30.3K

$23.6K $23.6K

28.23%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$26.4K $26.4K

2.17%

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

$259 $259

$346 $346

-25.25%

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

$82.6 $82.6

$54.7 $54.7

51.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.6 $77.6

$70.4 $70.4

10.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.00 $27.00

$36.91 $36.91

-26.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.7 $50.7

$25.22 $25.22

101.03%

Cinema Ticket

$11.76 $11.76

$15.12 $15.12

-22.22%

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

$1,287 $1,287

$1,472 $1,472

-12.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K $23.3K

$23.7K $23.7K

-1.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.22 $35.22

$47.85 $47.85

-26.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.17 $31.17

$41.04 $41.04

-24.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.3 $73.3

$92.7 $92.7

-21.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 $148

$174 $174

-15.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,955 $1,955

$1,882 $1,882

3.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,483 $1,483

$1,469 $1,469

0.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,053 $4,053

$2,433 $2,433

66.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,973 $2,973

$2,429 $2,429

22.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,930 $4,930

$2,463 $2,463

100.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,340 $3,340

$2,435 $2,435

37.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,465 $4,465

$3,649 $3,649

22.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

6.56

0.46%

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

Last update for Palm Springs, CA: July 11, 2026

Last update for Bakersfield, CA: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,955 in Palm Springs, CA and $1,882 in Bakersfield, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Palm Springs, CA pays 22% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $102 in Palm Springs, CA vs $67.0 in Bakersfield, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $432 vs $437, with Palm Springs, CA cheaper for home cooking.

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

Palm Springs, CA vs Bakersfield, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Palm Springs, CA is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 22% higher in Palm Springs, CA, 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: $1,955 in Palm Springs, CA versus $1,882 in Bakersfield, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Palm Springs, CA – a meal for two runs $102 versus $67.0 in Bakersfield, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,968 per month in Palm Springs, CA versus $3,085 in Bakersfield, CA – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

For families, Palm Springs, CA 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 Palm Springs, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Bakersfield, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.