Is it cheaper to live in Bakersfield or Minneapolis?

Bakersfield, CA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,330 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 1% below Minneapolis, MN's $1,350, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Bakersfield than in Minneapolis?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $40,000 a year in Bakersfield versus $48,000 in Minneapolis.

Which has lower taxes, Bakersfield or Minneapolis?

Bakersfield is taxed under California's rules (a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% state sales tax); Minneapolis under Minnesota's (a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax).

Bakersfield vs Minneapolis Cost of Living 2026

Bakersfield

California

$1,330/mo est.

Minneapolis

Minnesota

$1,350/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,330 in Bakersfield, CA versus $1,350 in Minneapolis, MN. Overall, Bakersfield, CA is roughly 1% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Minneapolis, MN, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $77,397 in Bakersfield, CA and $80,269 in Minneapolis, MN — about 4% higher in Minneapolis, MN. California has a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% state sales tax; Minnesota has a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax.

Bakersfield, CA

Minneapolis, MN

Rent

Studio

$1,027

$992

+3% in Bakersfield, CA

1 Bedroom

$1,007

$1,192

+18% in Minneapolis, MN

2 Bedroom

$1,233

$1,555

+26% in Minneapolis, MN

3 Bedroom

$1,656

$1,761

+6% in Minneapolis, MN

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$347,300

$345,600

+0% in Bakersfield, CA

Income

Median Household Income

$77,397

$80,269

+4% in Minneapolis, MN

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$47,470

$59,320

+25% in Minneapolis, MN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

31.9 yr

33.0 yr

+1.1 yr in Minneapolis, MN

Homeownership

60.1%

48.0%

+12.1 pp in Bakersfield, CA

Bachelor's+ (25+)

23.3%

54.5%

+31.2 pp in Minneapolis, MN

Avg Commute

24.1 min

22.5 min

+1.6 min in Bakersfield, CA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

556.8

1,167.8

+110% in Minneapolis, MN

Property Crime

2,488.7

5,182.6

+108% in Minneapolis, MN

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

64.0°F

47.4°F

+16.6°F in Bakersfield, CA

Annual Precipitation

8.0 in

32.8 in

+24.8 in in Minneapolis, MN

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.91/gal

$4.25/gal

+28% in Bakersfield, CA

Area: California vs Minnesota.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$1.75

$2.00

+14% in Minneapolis, MN

Adult base one-way fare — GET Bus vs Metro Transit (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

33.4

15.1

+55% in Bakersfield, CA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$20.72

$14.33

+31% in Bakersfield, CA

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.37

$4.14

+5% in Bakersfield, CA

Bread (lb)

$2.10

$1.79

+15% in Bakersfield, CA

Eggs (doz)

$2.25

$3.63

+61% in Minneapolis, MN

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.23

$6.97

+4% in Bakersfield, CA

Chicken (lb)

$2.14

$2.15

+1% in Minneapolis, MN

Bananas (lb)

$0.74

$0.63

+15% in Bakersfield, CA

Average prices — West vs Midwest (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (CA / MN)

7.25%

6.875%

+0.4 pp in CA

Income Tax (top rate)

13.30%

9.85%

+3.5 pp in CA

Bakersfield vs Minneapolis — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Bakersfield or Minneapolis?: Bakersfield, CA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,330 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 1% below Minneapolis, MN's $1,350, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Bakersfield than in Minneapolis?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $40,000 a year in Bakersfield versus $48,000 in Minneapolis.
Which has lower taxes, Bakersfield or Minneapolis?: Bakersfield is taxed under California's rules (a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% state sales tax); Minneapolis under Minnesota's (a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).