Are you considering a move to Bakersfield, California, United States, and wondering about the cost of living? Bakersfield, California is a diverse city with a lot to offer, but like any city, it comes with its own set of expenses. In this page, we'll break down the cost of living in Bakersfield, California and help you understand whether $3802 per month is moderately priced, given the average monthly salary of $4507.58.
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Restaurants |
Price |
World Range |
|---|---|---|
|
Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant |
20.0 $ |
|
|
Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course |
60.0 $ |
|
|
McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) |
10.0 $ |
|
|
Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) |
6.5 $ |
|
|
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) |
6.5 $ |
|
|
Cappuccino (regular) |
5.83 $ |
|
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Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) |
2.69 $ |
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Water (12 oz small bottle) |
2.33 $ |
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Markets |
Price |
World Range |
|---|---|---|
|
Milk (regular), (1 gallon) |
0.98 $ |
|
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Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) |
3.71 $ |
|
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Rice (white), (1 lb) |
5.63 $ |
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Eggs (regular) (12) |
4.54 $ |
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Local Cheese (1 lb) |
12.13 $ |
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Chicken Fillets (1 lb) |
14.83 $ |
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Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) |
25.33 $ |
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Apples (1 lb) |
5.8 $ |
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Banana (1 lb) |
2.14 $ |
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Oranges (1 lb) |
6.61 $ |
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Tomato (1 lb) |
4.57 $ |
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Potato (1 lb) |
2.33 $ |
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Onion (1 lb) |
3.56 $ |
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Lettuce (1 head) |
2.61 $ |
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Water (1.5 liter bottle) |
3.58 $ |
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Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) |
15.0 $ |
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Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) |
1.73 $ |
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|
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) |
5.25 $ |
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Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) |
10.0 $ |
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Transportation |
Price |
World Range |
|---|---|---|
|
One-way Ticket (Local Transport) |
2.38 $ |
|
|
Monthly Pass (Regular Price) |
47.0 $ |
|
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Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) |
3.0 $ |
|
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Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) |
1.71 $ |
|
|
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) |
27.0 $ |
|
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Gasoline (1 gallon) |
1.31 $ |
|
|
Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) |
30000.0 $ |
|
|
Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) |
34543.25 $ |
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Utilities (Monthly) |
Price |
World Range |
|---|---|---|
|
Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment |
356.25 $ |
|
|
1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local (No Discounts or Plans) |
-- |
|
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Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) |
70.0 $ |
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Sports And Leisure |
Price |
World Range |
|---|---|---|
|
Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult |
30.0 $ |
|
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Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) |
25.0 $ |
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Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat |
12.0 $ |
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Childcare |
Price |
World Range |
|---|---|---|
|
Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child |
1000.0 $ |
|
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International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child |
-- |
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Clothing And Shoes |
Price |
World Range |
|---|---|---|
|
1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) |
46.25 $ |
|
|
1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) |
46.25 $ |
|
|
1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) |
88.33 $ |
|
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1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes |
223.75 $ |
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Rent Per Month |
Price |
World Range |
|---|---|---|
|
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre |
1575.0 $ |
|
|
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre |
1432.5 $ |
|
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Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre |
2625.0 $ |
|
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Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre |
2383.33 $ |
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Buy Apartment Price |
Price |
World Range |
|---|---|---|
|
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre |
2286.25 $ |
|
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Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre |
1419.76 $ |
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Salaries And Financing |
Price |
World Range |
|---|---|---|
|
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) |
4507.58 $ |
|
|
Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate |
6.7 % |
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The monthly expenses for living in Bakersfield, California come to a total of approximately $3802. This includes an average monthly rent of around $1575 for a one-bedroom apartment in the city center, along with utilities costing about $391 per month. Additionally, other expenses such as groceries, transportation, dining out, and leisure activities for one person amount to approximately $1155 per month.
Living in Bakersfield, California appears to be relatively budget-friendly when considering the average monthly income of $4507.58. However, to enjoy a comfortable standard of living in Bakersfield, California, you would likely need an income exceeding $4507.58.
In Bakersfield, California, the average monthly post-tax salary hovers around $4507.58, and it isn't tied to any particular skillset or qualification.
The typical monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the central area of Bakersfield, California is approximately $1575. If you're open to living in a location outside the city center, you can expect to pay around $1432.5 for such an apartment.
The expense for groceries in Bakersfield, California can fluctuate based on personal choices and shopping patterns. Typically, an individual can budget around $951 per month for groceries. Nevertheless, the actual costs may change depending on various factors, including the specific items bought, the choice of stores, and the availability of discounts or special offers.
The cost of living in United States can vary significantly depending on the particular city you have in mind. Using a nationwide average might not provide accurate information. To get a more precise understanding, it's crucial to examine the cost of living in various cities throughout United States.
There's a medium risk in Bakersfield with high crime rates in just about every category and a true lack of law enforcement to wrangle the challenges, despite many efforts. It's certainly not the most dangerous city in the country, but tourists should just be aware of the risks while enjoying the rewards of Bakersfield.
Golden Empire Transit (GET BUS) is the public transportation system here. Downtown the Transit app to pay for rides and explore schedules and routes. You can easily get taxis or rideshares. Having your own car will allow for more exploration of the outdoor and agricultural areas. There's low risk with any option, but avoid the bus system at night if you can, just with the utmost caution in a city with high crime rates.
There's a medium risk of getting pickpocketed or having your purse snatched. Nearly 100 of these types of theft happened in 2020, with an average value of more than $1000. Don't carry valuable items or a large amount of cash with you. Keep one credit card for purchases and keep your wallet as hidden as possible.
Wildfires, flash flooding, and earthquakes are the biggest concerns in Bakersfield. Even wildfires far away from Bakersfield can greatly impact the air quality. Severe thunderstorms are possible, but not with the tornado risk you find in the Midwest. Extreme heat is also a concern. Because of all the year-round threats, there's a medium risk here.
There's a medium risk here, too, with a robbery rate nearly twice the national average. That's down 25% from 2018 but still higher risk. One-third of the robberies happened in public places with an average take of nearly $2000. We can't stress this enough - Please don't carry valuables or large amounts of cash with you when visiting this city. Gangs are very aggressive about taking items from anyone if they sense value in the items.
There's a low risk in Bakersfield, with nearby Los Angeles (2 hours south) being a larger potential target. Edwards Air Force Base is also 90 minutes from Bakersfield. While it's near harder targets, it's not a direct target.
Kern County's website lists several common scams found in the Central Valley. One big one to watch out for is a person who says they won the lottery, but they aren't in the country legally, so they want you to give them cash in exchange for the winning ticket. Don't fall for this or any "windfall" that comes with intense pressure. You should also avoid any situation where a person encourages you to buy gift cards in exchange for a service or prize.
Due to the high crime rates across the board, there's a medium risk for women. You should avoid being out at night, especially by yourself. Always drive with windows up and doors locked. When you park, don't even crack the windows on the car, even when it's scorching hot. Using common sense and gut instinct, you should greatly lower your risk when visiting Bakersfield. If you're going out hiking alone, please let someone know where you are going and when you plan to be back.
Bakersfield's water utility goes into great detail to explain the safety of the water, saying, in part, "In this system in 2021, we conducted 41,830 tests on 6,656 water samples for 201 constituents. We are pleased to confirm that we met every primary and secondary federal and state water quality standard last year."
A U.S. Travel or Work Visa is required at Customs, whether you are entering from the border or through the airport. Visas require an in-person interview, and some countries have appointments backed up for months. Allow yourself plenty of planning time to get your visa in time for the trip.
You can only use the U.S. Dollar here and try to purchase as much as you can online ahead of time. You want to limit the amount of money you need in your wallet and the number of times you need to pull out your wallet as much as possible. Be sure to set fraud alerts on your credit card before arriving. Review purchases at the end of each day and never throw away a receipt in public.
You won't need a winter coat here unless you plan to explore the higher altitudes of nearby mountains. Sunscreen is necessary throughout the year, and you'll want good walking shoes. T-shirts, shorts, jeans, and a hoodie should be good enough to get you through just about any season.
Meadows Field is the airport in Bakersfield and is just 15 minutes from downtown. If you are planning to fly out of the Los Angeles area, plan at least three hours for the road trip.
Travel insurance is a great way to enjoy a trip without any problems being compensated for your problems. You'll want to be clear about what insurance covers for a rental car with such high break-in and theft rates here.
| Average | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High | 60°F | 65°F | 71°F | 78°F | 85°F | 93°F | 98°F | 97°F | 91°F | 81°F | 68°F | 60°F |
| Temp | 49°F | 54°F | 58°F | 63°F | 71°F | 79°F | 85°F | 83°F | 78°F | 68°F | 56°F | 49°F |
| Low | 42°F | 45°F | 49°F | 53°F | 59°F | 66°F | 71°F | 71°F | 66°F | 57°F | 47°F | 41°F |
| Average | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High | 15°C | 18°C | 21°C | 25°C | 29°C | 33°C | 36°C | 36°C | 32°C | 27°C | 20°C | 15°C |
| Temp | 9°C | 12°C | 14°C | 17°C | 21°C | 26°C | 29°C | 28°C | 25°C | 20°C | 13°C | 9°C |
| Low | 5°C | 7°C | 9°C | 11°C | 15°C | 18°C | 21°C | 21°C | 18°C | 13°C | 8°C | 5°C |