2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Merced, CA vs Newport Beach, CA

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Newport Beach or is it cheaper to live in Merced?
- Newport Beach is 51.1% more expensive than Merced.

Which city has more affordable housing, Newport Beach or Merced?
- Newport Beach housing costs are 726.8% more expensive than Merced housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Merced or is Health Care more affordable in Newport Beach.
- Health related expenses are 23.0% less in Newport Beach.
 Merced, CANewport Beach, CAUnited States
 Overall  Unlock164.9100
 Food & Groceries99.5  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock93.4100
 Housing110.3  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$2,684,200$338,100
 Utilities110  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock110.8100
 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 Newport Beach    21 Reviews

I've lived here since late 2014. It's pretty on the outside and ugly on the inside. The people are hyper conservative, aggressively competitive. It's all about money and  More

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Over 8 years ago

I love calling Newport Beach my home. Every time I return from travel, I can feel the stress leave my body the minute I see the Ocean. I sell real estate in Newport  More

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Over 10 years ago

I currently reside on Balboa Island in Newport Beach, Ca. I grew up in Newport on the peninsula point near the wedge. I still visit the wedge but going to that area in  More

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