2026 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
San Rafael, CA vs Bakersfield, CA

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Bakersfield or is it cheaper to live in San Rafael?
- Bakersfield is 56.6% less expensive than San Rafael.

Which city has more affordable housing, Bakersfield or San Rafael?
- Bakersfield housing costs are 76.0% less expensive than San Rafael housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in San Rafael or is Health Care more affordable in Bakersfield.
- Health related expenses are 16.8% less in Bakersfield.
 San Rafael, CABakersfield, CAUnited States
 Overall  Unlock99.8100
 Food & Groceries113.5  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock91.6100
 Housing445.3  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$349,300$338,100
 Utilities97  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock103.6100
 Miscellaneous164.1  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for San Rafael    7 Reviews

Over 14 years ago

San Rafael is only 30 minutes from downtown San Francisco, but the weather is completely different. It's sunny most of the year, including in the summer when the city  More

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Over 16 years ago

I feal very safe in this town. I think getting stopped for talking on your cell phone while driving is a big deal here. Thats about all I can  More

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Over 18 years ago

Cost of living too high. Unfriendly  More

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Reviews for Bakersfield    75 Reviews

I am a millennial, born and raised here. As someone who wrestled with staying for years, there are a lot of valid reasons to not come to Bakersfield. Air quality, summer  More

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Over 5 years ago

I have lived here all of my life. 40+ years. It used to be fun and kinda safe but now it is so scary to go outside. We are literally a homeless dumping ground and there  More

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I moved here from Seattle 25 years ago, when it had a population of 200,000, and practically the only place to get coffee was a place called “Duke’s Ranch”. Why did I  More

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