Cost of Living: Bakersfield, CA vs Chicago, IL
Quick rent-and-take-home comparison
Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $3,974/mo in Bakersfield, CA versus $4,227/mo in Chicago, IL. In the model, rent is about 19.97% of gross in Bakersfield, CA versus 20.28% in Chicago, IL, so Bakersfield, CA tends to feel more affordable for rent.
Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Bakersfield, CA and Chicago, IL.
At a glance
- Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Chicago, IL
- Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Bakersfield, CA
- Lower home prices: Chicago, IL
- Higher median household income: Bakersfield, CA
Cost of Living Index
Bakersfield, CA: 100 (U.S. = 100) · Chicago, IL: 98.3 (U.S. = 100)
Chicago, IL has a lower cost-of-living index than Bakersfield, CA, so a given salary generally stretches further there.
Median Rent
Bakersfield, CA: $1,303/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Chicago, IL: $1,323/mo
Median rent in Chicago, IL is $20/mo higher than in Bakersfield, CA.
Median Home Price
Bakersfield, CA: $347,300 · Chicago, IL: $147,800
Median home price in Bakersfield, CA is $199,500 higher than in Chicago, IL.
Median Household Income
Bakersfield, CA: $77,397 · Chicago, IL: $56,815
Bakersfield, CA has a higher median household income than Chicago, IL by $20,582.
Bakersfield, CA overview · Chicago, IL overview · Popular comparisons