Can A Chef Afford Rent in Barstow, CA?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 21% of gross income.

Barstow rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (California state estimate).

Barstow median rent
$1,322/mo
Chef salary (California)
$75,697/yr
Rent as % of income
21%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,308, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,892/mo in rent. Barstow's median rent of $1,322 leaves roughly $570/mo of headroom under that threshold. A chef works roughly 36.3 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a chef salary

Chef pay varies sharply by restaurant type, with executive chefs at high-end establishments earning materially above the BLS mean. At the national-average chef salary, the 30% rule supports about $1,604 a month in rent.

Cheaper rent nearby

These California cities have lower median rent than Barstow, which improves the affordability math on a chef salary:

Red Bluff, CA
$1,321/mo (20.9% of income)
Red Bluff, CA
$1,316/mo (20.9% of income)
Oroville, CA
$1,315/mo (20.8% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Barstow

View full rent data for Barstow, CA

Frequently asked questions

Can a chef afford rent in Barstow, CA?

Median rent in Barstow is $1,322 a month. A typical chef in California earns about $75,697 a year, which makes that rent 21% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a chef afford in Barstow?

Using the 30% rule, a chef salary in California (~$75,697/yr) supports up to $1,892 a month in rent. Barstow's current median rent is $1,322/mo, which leaves a $570/mo buffer.

How many hours does a chef work to cover rent in Barstow?

At an hourly equivalent of about $36 an hour, a chef in California works roughly 36.3 hours a month to cover Barstow's median rent of $1,322.

Where is rent cheaper than Barstow for a chef?

Nearby California cities with lower median rent include Red Bluff ($1,321/mo), Red Bluff ($1,316/mo), Oroville ($1,315/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a chef salary.

Methodology: Salary uses the BLS-derived California state estimate from OEWS May 2024. Rent is the most recent ZORI monthly value for Barstow, CA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.