Cost of Living: Bakersfield, CA vs Sacramento, CA

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 $3,974/mo in Sacramento, CA. In the model, rent is about 19.97% of gross in Bakersfield, CA versus 24.69% in Sacramento, CA, so Bakersfield, CA tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Bakersfield, CA
$3,974/mo
Income level: near
Take-home in Sacramento, CA
$3,974/mo
Income level: below
Rent share (1BR) in Bakersfield, CA
19.97%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in Sacramento, CA
24.69%
COLI tier: higher-cost

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Bakersfield, CA and Sacramento, CA.

At a glance

  • Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Bakersfield, CA
  • Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Bakersfield, CA
  • Lower home prices: Bakersfield, CA
  • Higher median household income: Sacramento, CA

Cost of Living Index

Bakersfield, CA: 100 (U.S. = 100) · Sacramento, CA: 118.2 (U.S. = 100)

Bakersfield, CA has a lower cost-of-living index than Sacramento, CA, so a given salary generally stretches further there.

Median Rent

Bakersfield, CA: $1,303/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Sacramento, CA: $1,610/mo

Median rent in Sacramento, CA is $307/mo higher than in Bakersfield, CA.

Median Home Price

Bakersfield, CA: $347,300 · Sacramento, CA: $484,600

Median home price in Sacramento, CA is $137,300 higher than in Bakersfield, CA.

Median Household Income

Bakersfield, CA: $77,397 · Sacramento, CA: $83,753

Sacramento, CA has a higher median household income than Bakersfield, CA by $6,356.

Bakersfield, CA overview · Sacramento, CA overview · Popular comparisons