Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Palm Springs, CA and in Bakersfield, CA: $2,804 and $2,855 a month, rent and utilities included.

134

Cost of Living Index in Palm Springs, CA
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Palm Springs, CA Living Index
137

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

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Palm Springs, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,804

/mo nomad

Bakersfield, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,855

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,804 in Palm Springs, CA versus $2,855 in Bakersfield, CA.

Palm Springs, CA $2,804
Bakersfield, CA $2,855

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,462 in Palm Springs, CA versus $3,902 in Bakersfield, CA.

Palm Springs, CA $4,462
Bakersfield, CA $3,902

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,120 in Palm Springs, CA versus $4,949 in Bakersfield, CA.

Palm Springs, CA $6,120
Bakersfield, CA $4,949

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Palm Springs, CA 106% above, Bakersfield, CA 110% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.21 $30.21

$18.64 $18.64

62.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 $73.6

$64.8 $64.8

13.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.83 $9.83

$14.10 $14.10

-30.28%

Cappuccino

$5.31 $5.31

$5.74 $5.74

-7.49%

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

$2.77 $2.77

$2.73 $2.73

1.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 $1.57

$2.01 $2.01

-21.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.96 $4.96

$5.90 $5.90

-15.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.60 $5.60

$5.81 $5.81

-3.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.09 $1.09

23.85%

White Bread (500g)

$4.01 $4.01

$4.16 $4.16

-3.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.96 $2.96

$5.07 $5.07

-41.62%

Eggs

$5.64 $5.64

$3.29 $3.29

71.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.91 $13.91

$12.75 $12.75

9.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.85 $13.85

$13.34 $13.34

3.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.34 $12.34

$15.93 $15.93

-22.54%

Apples (1kg)

$5.01 $5.01

$4.16 $4.16

20.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.04 $2.04

4.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$3.95 $3.95

14.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.05 $5.05

$3.79 $3.79

33.25%

Potato (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$2.14 $2.14

114.49%

Onion (1kg)

$4.26 $4.26

$2.42 $2.42

76.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.12 $2.12

2.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.48 $2.48

-11.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.80 $11.80

$11.59 $11.59

1.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.53 $13.53

$17.80 $17.80

-23.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.97 $1.97

-16.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$4.79 $4.79

-41.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.62 $1.62

-36.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.71 $33.71

$58.1 $58.1

-42.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 $3.47

$3.03 $3.03

14.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 $1.81

$2.07 $2.07

-12.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.64 $23.64

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.52 $1.52

-9.87%

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

$30.3K $30.3K

$27.5K $27.5K

10.31%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$27.2K $27.2K

-3.32%

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

$243 $243

$390 $390

-37.71%

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

$81.6 $81.6

$59.4 $59.4

37.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.5 $66.5

$74.9 $74.9

-11.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.81 $32.81

$32.71 $32.71

0.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.68 $49.68

$24.81 $24.81

100.24%

Cinema Ticket

$12.07 $12.07

$15.11 $15.11

-20.12%

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

$556 $556

$1,501 $1,501

-62.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,546 $8,546

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.48 $31.48

$59.9 $59.9

-47.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.67 $34.67

$47.66 $47.66

-27.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.4 $72.4

$98.9 $98.9

-26.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 $138

$120 $120

14.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,961 $1,961

$1,536 $1,536

27.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,378 $1,378

$1,311 $1,311

5.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,450 $3,450

$1,828 $1,828

88.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,963 $2,963

$1,834 $1,834

61.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,132 $5,132

$2,742 $2,742

87.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,464 $3,464

$2,430 $2,430

42.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,839 $4,839

$3,743 $3,743

29.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

6.43

3.89%

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

Last update for Palm Springs, CA: 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

Palm Springs, CA

$1.4K 49.1%

Bakersfield, CA

$1.3K 45.9% 4.8% $67

Groceries & Markets

Palm Springs, CA

$415 14.8%

Bakersfield, CA

$411 14.4% 1% $4.3

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Palm Springs, CA

$391 14%

Bakersfield, CA

$525 18.4% 34.1% $133

Eating Out

Palm Springs, CA

$388 13.8%

Bakersfield, CA

$320 11.2% 17.5% $68

Clothing & Footwear

Palm Springs, CA

$125 4.4%

Bakersfield, CA

$147 5.2% 18.1% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Palm Springs, CA

$57 2%

Bakersfield, CA

$63 2.2% 10.5% $6

Getting Around

Palm Springs, CA

$50 1.8%

Bakersfield, CA

$78 2.7% 54.9% $28

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,961 in Palm Springs, CA and $1,536 in Bakersfield, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Palm Springs, CA pays 29% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $74 in Palm Springs, CA vs $65 in Bakersfield, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $415 vs $411 per month, with Bakersfield, CA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Palm Springs, CA

🇺🇸 Bakersfield, CA

🕒 Local time

16:13 4:13 PM

Same time as Palm Springs, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

44,575

373,640

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Palm Springs, CA Bakersfield, CA 280 km

From you

Palm Springs, CA
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

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

Average pay runs 29% 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: $1,961 in Palm Springs, CA 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 $74 in Palm Springs, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Childcare runs $556 in Palm Springs, CA versus $1,501 in Bakersfield, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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.

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.