2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Merced, CA vs Arcadia, CA

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Arcadia or is it cheaper to live in Merced?
- Arcadia is 48.2% more expensive than Merced.

Which city has more affordable housing, Arcadia or Merced?
- Arcadia housing costs are 266.8% more expensive than Merced housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Merced or is Health Care more affordable in Arcadia.
- Health related expenses are 28.5% less in Arcadia.
 Merced, CAArcadia, CAUnited States
 Overall  Unlock161.7100
 Food & Groceries99.5  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock86.7100
 Housing110.3  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$1,274,600$338,100
 Utilities110  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock159.3100
 Miscellaneous108.7  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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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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Reviews for Arcadia    4 Reviews

Hi, We live in the city of Los Angeles, a total nightmare for us who lived in Texas for more than 5 years. We have job offers in both Arcadia, CA and in Round Rock  More

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Over 14 years ago

We like a neighborhood which has a lot tree and decent parks. Also, we prefer a place where are convient for restaurant, grocery, shopping mall, and library. Believe or  More

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Over 15 years ago

Arcadia has fairly good weather except for a few extra hot summer days. Rainy weather has been less over the last few years, so a bit of a drought exists. Air quality  More

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