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 Clara | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,197/mo | $2,841/mo | 57.9% lower in A |
| Median home value | $322,600 | $1,440,200 | 77.6% lower in A |
| Median household income | $59,233 | $165,352 | 64.2% 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 $237,341 in Santa Clara to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Merced, CA is about 57.9% cheaper overall than Santa Clara, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 58% lower in Merced than in Santa Clara. If you earn $80,000 in Merced, you'd need about $189,873 in Santa Clara to keep the same standard of living.