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 | Santa Barbara | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,197/mo | $2,209/mo | 45.8% lower in A |
| Median home value | $322,600 | $1,346,800 | 76.0% lower in A |
| Median household income | $59,233 | $98,346 | 39.8% 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 $184,544 in Santa Barbara to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Merced, CA is about 45.8% cheaper overall than Santa Barbara, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 46% lower in Merced than in Santa Barbara. If you earn $80,000 in Merced, you'd need about $147,636 in Santa Barbara to keep the same standard of living.