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

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Merced or is it cheaper to live in Tehachapi?
- Merced is 9.3% more expensive than Tehachapi.

Which city has more affordable housing, Merced or Tehachapi?
- Merced housing costs are 7.2% less expensive than Tehachapi housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Tehachapi or is Health Care more affordable in Merced.
- Health related expenses are 32.4% more in Merced.
 Tehachapi, CAMerced, CAUnited States
 Overall  Unlock109.1100
 Food & Groceries100.1  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock121.3100
 Housing118.8  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$373,000$338,100
 Utilities106  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock101.1100
 Miscellaneous111.0  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for Tehachapi    8 Reviews

We moved out of the Los Angeles/Orange County area to escape the traffic. When we moved to bear Valley Springs (about 15 miles outside of Tehachapi) there was literally  More

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Over 7 years ago

I lived here for over 18 years before moving away and still don't miss this town. This town is great for the elderly and young families but not great for teens and young  More

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Tehachapi is a Mountain Community in the southern part of the Sierra Nevada between the Central Valley (Bakersfield) and the Antelope Valley (Mojave, Palmdale,  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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