2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA vs Salem, OR

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Salem or is it cheaper to live in Carmel-by-the-Sea?
- Salem is 31.5% less expensive than Carmel-by-the-Sea.

Which city has more affordable housing, Salem or Carmel-by-the-Sea?
- Salem housing costs are 81.4% less expensive than Carmel-by-the-Sea housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Carmel-by-the-Sea or is Health Care more affordable in Salem.
- Health related expenses are 35.4% less in Salem.
 Carmel-by-the-Sea, CASalem, ORUnited States
 Overall  Unlock104.0100
 Food & Groceries118.8  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock92.8100
 Housing651.7  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$399,000$338,100
 Utilities87  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock96.1100
 Miscellaneous112.1  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for Carmel-By-The-Sea    3 Reviews

Over 9 years ago

Climate, cost &  More

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carmel has about 60 vacation homes and a dense cottage-y downtown. basically it is a tourist trap cental business district and a bunch of vacation rental homes. the  More

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Over 17 years ago

Liberals have run me out of town. The political is so overwhelming I am looking to relocate. However, if you are an aging hippie with a great deal of money you will be  More

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Reviews for Salem    37 Reviews

After reading the reviews here, I had to come write my own. The problem I had with most of the reviews is that most were very opinion-based and seemed to assume everyone  More

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Moved here approx. 4 years ago from SW Michigan, but I've lived in 9 other cities & 5 other states. Salem is a very manageable sized city, with tons of parks, diverse  More

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Over 5 years ago

I'm a native 5th generation Oregonian, so bear in mind that I was born with webs between my toes! Anyway, I used to think it rained too much when I was young. Then I  More

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