Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Merced, CA and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Merced, CA: $2,528 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $1,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Austin, TX outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

123

Cost of Living Index in Merced, CA
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Merced, CA Living Index
130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Merced, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,528

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Merced, CA and in Austin, TX

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Merced, CA and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,528 in Merced, CA versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Merced, CA $2,528
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,698 in Merced, CA versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Merced, CA $3,698
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,868 in Merced, CA versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Merced, CA $4,868
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Merced, CA costs roughly 5% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Merced, CA 87% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 $17.30

$20.77 $20.77

-16.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.53 $39.53

$84.6 $84.6

-53.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.13 $12.13

$12.32 $12.32

-1.54%

Cappuccino

$5.67 $5.67

$5.63 $5.63

0.71%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$3.72 $3.72

-33.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 $1.47

$2.50 $2.50

-41.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.15 $9.15

$8.05 $8.05

13.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.14 $10.14

$9.01 $9.01

12.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.12 $1.12

10.71%

White Bread (500g)

$4.33 $4.33

$3.75 $3.75

15.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.18 $4.18

$3.26 $3.26

28.22%

Eggs

$5.69 $5.69

$4.17 $4.17

36.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.30 $19.30

$12.90 $12.90

49.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.22 $14.22

$14.16 $14.16

0.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.62 $21.62

$16.22 $16.22

33.29%

Apples (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$4.33 $4.33

2.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.46 $1.46

39.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.41 $5.41

$4.51 $4.51

19.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.36 $5.36

$4.34 $4.34

23.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.58 $2.58

35.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.35 $2.35

25.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.78 $1.78

37.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.22 $2.22

15.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.89 $11.89

$9.88 $9.88

20.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.78 $15.78

$15.08 $15.08

4.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.92 $2.92

-17.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 $3.41

$3.46 $3.46

-1.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.9 $59.9

$41.72 $41.72

43.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.73 $2.73

11.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.51 $26.51

$35.30 $35.30

-24.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 $1.32

$0.95 $0.95

38.95%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$37.3K $37.3K

$36.0K $36.0K

3.34%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.8K $25.8K

$27.1K $27.1K

-4.82%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$237 $237

$229 $229

3.69%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$29.93 $29.93

$59.4 $59.4

-49.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.7 $82.7

$69.9 $69.9

18.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.75 $32.75

$57.2 $57.2

-42.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.11 $14.11

$16.33 $16.33

-13.59%

Cinema Ticket

$16.87 $16.87

$14.28 $14.28

18.14%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,851 $1,851

$1,506 $1,506

22.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.5K $40.5K

$21.5K $21.5K

88.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 $59.9

$52.8 $52.8

13.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 $50.7

$43.82 $43.82

15.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100.0 $100.0

$84.8 $84.8

17.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 $120

$103 $103

16.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,638 $1,638

$1,907 $1,907

-14.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,082 $1,082

$1,274 $1,274

-15.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 $2,012

$3,664 $3,664

-45.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,905 $1,905

$2,538 $2,538

-24.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,890 $2,890

$7,614 $7,614

-62.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,896 $2,896

$3,157 $3,157

-8.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,329 $3,329

$5,121 $5,121

-34.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

6.79

-6.33%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Merced, CA: October 10, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Merced, CA

$1.1K 42.8%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 17.7% $192

Groceries & Markets

Merced, CA

$479 19%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 15.6% $75

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Merced, CA

$350 13.9%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 2.3% $8.2

Eating Out

Merced, CA

$325 12.8%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 9% $29

Clothing & Footwear

Merced, CA

$149 5.9%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 13.8% $21

Getting Around

Merced, CA

$77 3.1%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 23.9% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Merced, CA

$66 2.6%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 29% $19

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,638 in Merced, CA and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 54% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $40.00 in Merced, CA vs $85.0 in Austin, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $479 vs $405, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Merced, CA

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

04:32 4:32 AM

06:32 6:32 AM

2 h ahead of Merced, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

83,316

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.889 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Merced, CA Austin, TX 2,240 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Merced, CA
Austin, TX

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Merced, CA vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Merced, CA wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Merced, CA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 54% lower in Austin, TX. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,638 in Merced, CA versus $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,528 per month in Merced, CA versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Merced, CA runs roughly 44% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Merced, CA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Merced, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.