2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Merced, CA vs Chattanooga, TN

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Chattanooga or is it cheaper to live in Merced?
- Chattanooga is 17.8% less expensive than Merced.

Which city has more affordable housing, Chattanooga or Merced?
- Chattanooga housing costs are 32.0% less expensive than Merced housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Merced or is Health Care more affordable in Chattanooga.
- Health related expenses are 17.5% less in Chattanooga.
 Merced, CAChattanooga, TNUnited States
 Overall  Unlock89.7100
 Food & Groceries99.5  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock100.1100
 Housing110.3  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$273,300$338,100
 Utilities110  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock80.9100
 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 Chattanooga    60 Reviews

Over 4 years ago

Moved to Chattanooga from the San Francisco Bay area. It was a hard one but after losing much in the 2017, 2018, 2019 annual wildfire festival of California I got tired  More

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I feel like the crime in Chattanooga gets glossed over in most reviews. Lived here virtually my entire life and I will truly miss the golden sunrises against the  More

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I live in nearby Cleveland TN where I have lived for 20 years. I like to shop and visit Chattanooga as there is a lot to do but they do have a very high crime rate.   More

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