CostIndexUSA

Bakersfield, CA vs Salt Lake City, UT Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostCA
Bakersfield
100.9
overall index
$1,750/mo rent
UT
Salt Lake City
100.9
overall index
$1,575/mo rent

Bakersfield and Salt Lake City have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing+36.5%
Bakersfield
90.3
Salt Lake City
123.3
🛒 Groceries8.4%
Bakersfield
105.2
Salt Lake City
96.4
🚗 Transportation1.3%
Bakersfield
105.3
Salt Lake City
103.9
🏥 Healthcare1.4%
Bakersfield
95.3
Salt Lake City
94
Utilities50.1%
Bakersfield
158.3
Salt Lake City
79

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Bakersfield to see what you'd need to earn in Salt Lake City to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Salt Lake City, UT
$80,000
Same salary works in both cities

Formula: salary × (100.9 ÷ 100.9) = salary × 1.0000. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Bakersfield, CA

Median Home Price
$358,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,750
Housing Index
90.3
Price-to-Rent Ratio
17.0×

Salt Lake City, UT

Median Home Price
$554,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,575
Housing Index
123.3
Price-to-Rent Ratio
29.3×

Salt Lake City has 36.5% higher housing costs compared to Bakersfield.

Income & Job Market

Bakersfield, CA

Median Household Income
$68,900
Per Capita Income
$39,300
Unemployment Rate
8.4%
Population
384,145
Top Industries
AgricultureEnergyHealthcareLogisticsManufacturing

Salt Lake City, UT

Median Household Income
$94,400
Per Capita Income
$53,800
Unemployment Rate
3.4%
Population
200,567
Top Industries
TechnologyHealthcareFinanceTourismGovernment

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Bakersfield, CA
3.3×income-to-rent ratio

70% of income left after rent (median)

Salt Lake City, UT
5.0×income-to-rent ratio

80% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.