2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Merced, CA vs Santa Maria, CA

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Santa Maria or is it cheaper to live in Merced?
- Santa Maria is 41.8% more expensive than Merced.

Which city has more affordable housing, Santa Maria or Merced?
- Santa Maria housing costs are 52.5% more expensive than Merced housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Merced or is Health Care more affordable in Santa Maria.
- Health related expenses are 6.7% less in Santa Maria.
 Merced, CASanta Maria, CAUnited States
 Overall  Unlock154.7100
 Food & Groceries99.5  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock113.2100
 Housing110.3  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$565,100$338,100
 Utilities110  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock95.2100
 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 Santa Maria    12 Reviews

Over 6 years ago

I live in Orcutt which is a town of around 35,000 on the south side of Santa Maria. Santa Maria has, as everyone has noted, the best climate in the world. It never  More

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I have lived in Santa Maria / Orcutt for several years, but it is time to leave. I have no issues with the weather. Our climate is mild and comfortable with no extremes.  More

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The weather is very mild without a huge temperature change with the seasons. The winters are chilly but not cold and the summers are warm but not hot. Of course there  More

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