2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Lansing, MI vs Merced, CA

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Merced or is it cheaper to live in Lansing?
- Merced is 30.5% more expensive than Lansing.

Which city has more affordable housing, Merced or Lansing?
- Merced housing costs are 156.5% more expensive than Lansing housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Lansing or is Health Care more affordable in Merced.
- Health related expenses are 38.0% more in Merced.
 Lansing, MIMerced, CAUnited States
 Overall  Unlock109.1100
 Food & Groceries91.1  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock121.3100
 Housing43.0  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$373,000$338,100
 Utilities98  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock101.1100
 Miscellaneous108.1  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for Lansing    28 Reviews

I am in my fifth house in the greater Lansing area since relocating here in 1997 from the tri-city area (Midland/Bay City/Saginaw). Pros: people are friendlier here-  More

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I first moved to Lansing in the early 2000s for grad school @ MSU, went away and returned after several years. I must say, the area has improved VERY significantly  More

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This is a really nice place to live and people here are friendly there is a lot to do and a wide variety of different people and belief systems if you know where to look  More

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Reviews for Merced    44 Reviews

Merced is totally slept on - you want a little bit of everything CA has to offer, at a fraction of the price of other CA cities? Merced is the place to go. The town  More

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Over 5 years ago

Good place to live. More affordable than most of california. The city is growing and there is alot of business and growth here. Moved from the Bay area years ago and  More

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Great place to live. Lots of progress and changes coming to the city. Great place to raise a family. UC Merced is expanding and businesses are investing. Downtown is  More

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