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 | Pleasanton | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,197/mo | $2,815/mo | 57.5% lower in A |
| Median home value | $322,600 | $1,338,200 | 75.9% lower in A |
| Median household income | $59,233 | $181,639 | 67.4% 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 $235,169 in Pleasanton to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Merced, CA is about 57.5% cheaper overall than Pleasanton, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 57% lower in Merced than in Pleasanton. If you earn $80,000 in Merced, you'd need about $188,136 in Pleasanton to keep the same standard of living.