| Measure | San Luis ObispoCalifornia, United States Remove San Luis Obispo | BakersfieldCalifornia, United States Remove Bakersfield |
|---|---|---|
| Scores (out of 10) | ||
| Overall score | 5.6 | 6.4 |
| Connector Score | 7.8 | 8.7 |
| Safety | 6.4 | 5.4 |
| Affordability | 2.8 | 4.1 |
| Transportation | 7.0 | 10.0 |
| Car-free friendliness | 4.5 | 7.0 |
| Walkability | 4.4 | 5.2 |
| Things to do | 5.6 | 6.6 |
| Food & dining | 4.4 | 6.1 |
| Places to stay | 5.3 | 6.4 |
| Nature & outdoors | 7.0 | 5.5 |
| Scenic value | 7.8 | 5.0 |
| Family friendliness | 4.8 | 5.1 |
| Solo-traveler friendliness | 5.0 | 4.9 |
| Nightlife | 3.7 | 5.1 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 5.3 | 5.6 |
| Road-trip convenience | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| Train-trip convenience | 7.0 | 7.8 |
| Bus-trip convenience | 1.5 | 7.3 |
| Cost (per person per day, USD) | ||
| Budget | $168 | $100 |
| Mid-range | $255 | $150 |
| Luxury | $459 | $248 |
| Living there | ||
| Cost of living index (national = 100) | 140 | 124 |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent | $1,925 | $1,300 |
| Median home price | $935,000 | $396,000 |
| Population | 51K | 422K |
| Getting there | ||
| Accessible by | Drive Train Airport | Drive Train Bus Airport |
| Car recommended | — | — |
| Travel time from San Luis Obispo | — | 2 h 12 min details |
| Character | ||
| Best for | Beaches | Car-free travel |
| Known for | Beaches, Mountains & hiking, Lakes & rivers, Historic sites, Live music, Shopping | National & state parks, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Live music, Pro sports |
| When to go | — | Peak: Spring and fall event weekends and Kern… |
Scores and costs are estimates from public data and our own research; check the city pages for sources and dates.