City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Merced | Napa | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,197/mo | $2,051/mo | 41.6% lower in A |
| Median home value | $322,600 | $771,700 | 58.2% lower in A |
| Median household income | $59,233 | $100,273 | 40.9% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 104.1 | 104.1 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 125.1 | 125.1 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 104.6 | 104.6 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 104.1 | 104.1 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Merced, you'd need $171,345 in Napa to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Merced, CA is about 41.6% cheaper overall than Napa, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 42% lower in Merced than in Napa. If you earn $80,000 in Merced, you'd need about $137,076 in Napa to keep the same standard of living.