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 | San Francisco | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,283/mo | $2,316/mo | 44.6% lower in A |
| Median home value | $320,600 | $1,348,700 | 76.2% lower in A |
| Median household income | $73,827 | $136,689 | 46.0% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 104.1 | 58.2 | 78.8% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 125.1 | 62.4 | 100.5% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 104.6 | 59.8 | 74.9% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 104.1 | 38.9 | 167.5% higher in A |
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 $180,520 in San Francisco to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Bakersfield, CA is about 44.6% cheaper overall than San Francisco, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 45% lower in Bakersfield than in San Francisco. If you earn $80,000 in Bakersfield, you'd need about $144,416 in San Francisco to keep the same standard of living.