Question 1

Is Bakersfield or Los Angeles cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Bakersfield, CA is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $1,102/month less than in Los Angeles, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,483/mo in Bakersfield versus $2,903/mo in Los Angeles.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Bakersfield vs Los Angeles?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $96,000/year before tax in Bakersfield, CA and $122,000/year in Los Angeles, CA — a difference of about $26,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Bakersfield or Los Angeles cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Bakersfield, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $9,823/month in Bakersfield and $11,266/month in Los Angeles, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Bakersfield or Los Angeles?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Bakersfield costs less month to month, but cost is one of six factors — jobs, safety, climate, housing and amenities all differ too. Compare them against your own income and priorities rather than a single ranking.

Metric	Bakersfield57	Los Angeles47
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,920	$6,022
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$9,823	$11,266
Salary for comfort	$96,000/yr	$122,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,483	$2,903
Median home value	$347,300	$879,500
Median household income	$77,397	$80,366
Unemployment	5.4%	5.3%
Housing score	67	2
Jobs score	32	25
Safety score	54	47
Climate score	90	100
Amenities score	47	100
Population	408.4K	3.9M
Summer high / winter low	97° / 37°	89° / 47°

Bakersfield, CA vs Los Angeles, CA