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 | Orange | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,197/mo | $2,148/mo | 44.3% lower in A |
| Median home value | $322,600 | $848,200 | 62.0% lower in A |
| Median household income | $59,233 | $109,335 | 45.8% 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 $179,449 in Orange to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Merced, CA is about 44.3% cheaper overall than Orange, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 44% lower in Merced than in Orange. If you earn $80,000 in Merced, you'd need about $143,559 in Orange to keep the same standard of living.