Merced, CA vs Santa Barbara, CA Cost of Living
Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024
Merced is moderately cheaper than Santa Barbara — 10.7% lower overall cost of living.
To match an $80,000 salary in Merced, you would need $88,500 in Santa Barbara. Calculate your salary ↓
Category Breakdown
Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.
Salary Equivalency Calculator
Enter your current salary in Merced to see what you'd need to earn in Santa Barbara to maintain the same purchasing power.
Formula: salary × (108.8 ÷ 98.3) = salary × 1.1068. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.
Housing Market
Merced, CA
- Median Home Price
- $410,000
- Median Monthly Rent
- $1,850
- Housing Index
- 78.6
- Price-to-Rent Ratio
- 18.5×
Santa Barbara, CA
- Median Home Price
- $510,000
- Median Monthly Rent
- $2,275
- Housing Index
- 151.4
- Price-to-Rent Ratio
- 18.7×
Santa Barbara has 92.6% higher housing costs compared to Merced.
Income & Job Market
Merced, CA
- Median Household Income
- $57,600
- Per Capita Income
- $32,800
- Unemployment Rate
- 9.2%
- Population
- 86,333
Santa Barbara, CA
- Median Household Income
- $91,200
- Per Capita Income
- $52,000
- Unemployment Rate
- 6.1%
- Population
- 88,255
Affordability at a Glance
Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).
61% of income left after rent (median)
70% of income left after rent (median)
Related Comparisons
Merced vs other cities
Santa Barbara vs other cities
Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.
Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.
This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.