Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Bakersfield, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Bakersfield, CA: $2,855 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $11,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
137

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

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Bakersfield, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,855

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $2,855 in Bakersfield, CA.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Bakersfield, CA $2,855

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $3,902 in Bakersfield, CA.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Bakersfield, CA $3,902

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $4,949 in Bakersfield, CA.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Bakersfield, CA $4,949

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 33% more expensive than in Bakersfield, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Bakersfield, CA 110% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$18.64 $18.64

35.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$64.8 $64.8

55.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$14.10 $14.10

4.68%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.74 $5.74

13.24%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.73 $2.73

17.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.01 $2.01

56.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$5.90 $5.90

35.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$5.81 $5.81

39.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.09 $1.09

7.34%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.16 $4.16

27.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$5.07 $5.07

26.23%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$3.29 $3.29

53.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$12.75 $12.75

46.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$13.34 $13.34

40.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$15.93 $15.93

43.63%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$4.16 $4.16

45.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.04 $2.04

-4.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$3.95 $3.95

39.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$3.79 $3.79

72.03%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.14 $2.14

63.08%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.42 $2.42

35.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.12 $2.12

32.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.48 $2.48

4.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$11.59 $11.59

7.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$17.80 $17.80

-16.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.97 $1.97

112.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$4.79 $4.79

21.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.62 $1.62

88.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$58.1 $58.1

82.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.03 $3.03

-14.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$2.07 $2.07

-20.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.52 $1.52

-7.24%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$27.5K $27.5K

33.83%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$27.2K $27.2K

-2.07%

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

$308 $308

$390 $390

-21.21%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$59.4 $59.4

16.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$74.9 $74.9

14.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$32.71 $32.71

133.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$24.81 $24.81

43.09%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$15.11 $15.11

19.26%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,501 $1,501

82.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$59.9 $59.9

32.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$47.66 $47.66

13.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$98.9 $98.9

28.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$120 $120

32.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,536 $1,536

63.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,311 $1,311

47.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$1,828 $1,828

180.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$1,834 $1,834

93.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$2,742 $2,742

168.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,430 $2,430

105.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$3,743 $3,743

72.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.43

7.15%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: 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

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Bakersfield, CA

$1.3K 45.9% 32.4% $628

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Bakersfield, CA

$411 14.4% 24.9% $136

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Bakersfield, CA

$525 18.4% 13.3% $62

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Bakersfield, CA

$320 11.2% 21.1% $86

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Bakersfield, CA

$147 5.2% 22% $42

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Bakersfield, CA

$78 2.7% 39.5% $51

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Bakersfield, CA

$63 2.2% 44.1% $50

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $1,536 in Bakersfield, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 73% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $65 in Bakersfield, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $411 per month, with Bakersfield, CA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Bakersfield, CA

🕒 Local time

12:02 12:02 PM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

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

Seattle, WA Bakersfield, CA 1,390 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
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

Seattle, WA vs Bakersfield, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bakersfield, CA is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 73% higher in Seattle, WA, 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: $2,508 in Seattle, WA 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 $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,855 in Bakersfield, CA – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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 25% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.