City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Bakersfield | Phoenix | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,283/mo | $1,322/mo | 3.0% lower in A |
| Median home value | $320,600 | $340,200 | 5.8% lower in A |
| Median household income | $73,827 | $72,092 | 2.4% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 104.1 | 104.1 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 125.1 | 125.1 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 104.6 | 104.6 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 104.1 | 104.1 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Bakersfield, you'd need $103,044 in Phoenix to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Bakersfield, CA is about 3% cheaper overall than Phoenix, AZ, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 3% lower in Bakersfield than in Phoenix. If you earn $80,000 in Bakersfield, you'd need about $82,435 in Phoenix to keep the same standard of living.