2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Barstow, CA vs Salem, OR

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Salem or is it cheaper to live in Barstow?
- Salem is 12.3% less expensive than Barstow.

Which city has more affordable housing, Salem or Barstow?
- Salem housing costs are 81.1% more expensive than Barstow housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Barstow or is Health Care more affordable in Salem.
- Health related expenses are 1.8% more in Salem.
 Barstow, CASalem, ORUnited States
 Overall  Unlock104.0100
 Food & Groceries94.6  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock92.8100
 Housing67.1  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$399,000$338,100
 Utilities116  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock96.1100
 Miscellaneous111.0  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for Barstow    14 Reviews

Mike · 

The positive of Barstow- yes there is something positive that can be said about Barstow. At least it's not as bad as South Lake Tahoe. The only reason it gets 2 stars  More

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Over 7 years ago

Just a place to travel thru. Cheap alternative to LA suburbs, about 70 miles or Palm Springs. It is in high Mojave desert, hot in the summer, 100-110, can get down  More

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Be careful is all I can say. I moved there with the focus to buy a home the investor Cliff Unegbu AKA Clifford Unegbu will rip off as many people as he can and use  More

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Reviews for Salem    37 Reviews

After reading the reviews here, I had to come write my own. The problem I had with most of the reviews is that most were very opinion-based and seemed to assume everyone  More

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Moved here approx. 4 years ago from SW Michigan, but I've lived in 9 other cities & 5 other states. Salem is a very manageable sized city, with tons of parks, diverse  More

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Over 5 years ago

I'm a native 5th generation Oregonian, so bear in mind that I was born with webs between my toes! Anyway, I used to think it rained too much when I was young. Then I  More

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