Moving from Bakersfield to Los Angeles
Your paycheck buys 11.2% less in Los Angeles than in Bakersfield; you'd need about $81,400 to break even. Compare taxes, rent, home prices and the cost of the move.
Equal salary in Los Angeles: $81,400
Compare any two of 149 U.S. metro areas. All cities
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $81,400 in Los Angeles, CA to match $70,000 in Bakersfield, CA ($11,400 more), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary. Both are in California, so state income tax is the same; neither city levies a resident income tax.
Bakersfield vs Los Angeles: key facts
- Median rent
- $1,479 → $2,114/mo
- Median home value
- $363,600 → $908,500
- Median household income
- $71,596 → $96,405
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 100.9 → 113.6
- Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
- Among the highest (98.9 → 100.0 of 100)
Bakersfield vs Los Angeles cost of living
The vertical line marks the U.S. average (100).
| Measure | Bakersfield, CA | Los Angeles, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 100.9 | 113.6 |
| Median rent | $1,479 | $2,114 |
| Income to rent affordably (30%) | $59,160 | $84,560 |
| Median home value | $363,600 | $908,500 |
| Monthly cost to own (20% down) | $2,312 | $5,435 |
| Income needed to buy | $99,095 | $232,916 |
| Median property tax | $3,168 | $6,011 |
| State income tax on $70,000 | $2,375 | $2,375 |
| Metro population | 922,529 | 12,927,614 |
Metro-area figures (Census ACS 2024, BEA 2024). Taxes use each metro's principal state.
Your yearly budget: Bakersfield vs Los Angeles
On a $70,000 salary, taxes, housing, electricity, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $45,930 a year in Bakersfield and $53,550 in Los Angeles if you rent: $7,620 more after the move. If you buy the median home, they come to $55,929 and $93,398 ($37,469 more).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | BakersfieldBefore | Los AngelesAfter | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $70,000, single filer | $15,210 | $15,210 | $0 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,930 | $1,930 | $0 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $1,225 | $1,225 | $0 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $2,977 | $2,977 | $0 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $6,840 | $6,840 | $0 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent median, 12 months | $17,748 | $25,368 | +$7,620 |
| Total if you rent | $45,930 | $53,550 | +$7,620 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 6.95% | $23,106 | $57,732 | +$34,626 |
| Property tax median home | $3,168 | $6,011 | +$2,843 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $1,473 | $1,473 | $0 |
| Total if you buy | $55,929 | $93,398 | +$37,469 |
Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, plus the principal city's resident income tax where it has one, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 metro-area medians. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (6.95%, week of September 17, 2026).
State figures for the principal state: EIA 2024 average residential power bill, NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on September 23, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.
Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.
Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $22,628 a year in Bakersfield and $22,628 in Los Angeles (Child Care Aware of America, 2024 state averages).
Who moves from Bakersfield to Los Angeles
About 2,414 households (4,322 people) moved from the Bakersfield metro area to the Los Angeles metro area in 2022–2023, making Los Angeles the #1 destination for people leaving Bakersfield among the 149 metro areas we cover. 4,249 households moved the other way. Their average adjusted gross income was $54,524.
Cost to move from Bakersfield to Los Angeles
| Moving method (2–3 bedrooms) | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) | $310–$600 |
| Moving container | $1,090–$2,030 |
| Full-service movers | $1,830–$4,860 |
At about 120 miles, this move is shorter than the long-distance routes these ranges are modeled on. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
Natural hazard risk: Bakersfield vs Los Angeles
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the Bakersfield area among the highest (score 98.9) and the Los Angeles area among the highest (score 100), on a 0–100 national percentile scale. Expected yearly losses from natural hazards average $459 vs $722 per resident.
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
Frequently asked questions
Is Los Angeles cheaper than Bakersfield?
Overall prices in the Los Angeles area are 12.6% higher than in Bakersfield (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $2,114 vs $1,479 a month, and the median home is $908,500 vs $363,600.
What salary do I need in Los Angeles to match $100,000 in Bakersfield?
About $115,300, after 2026 federal taxes and local prices. Both are in California, so state income tax is the same.
How much does it cost to move from Bakersfield to Los Angeles?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 120 miles: roughly $310–$600 with a rental truck, $1,090–$2,030 with a container, or $1,830–$4,860 with full-service movers. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
How many people move from Bakersfield to Los Angeles?
IRS county migration data for 2022–2023 show about 2,414 households (4,322 people) moved from the Bakersfield metro area to the Los Angeles metro area, and 4,249 moved the other way.
Related
Where people from Bakersfield move
- Riverside 713 households
- San Diego 441 households
- Las Vegas 379 households
- Fresno 377 households
- San Francisco 302 households
- Phoenix 299 households
- Oxnard 290 households
- Sacramento 288 households