Cost of Living Comparison Between Merced, CA and Saint Paul, MN Cost of Living Comparison Between Merced, CA and Saint Paul, MN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,475 in Merced, CA versus $2,423 in Saint Paul, MN.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,618 in Merced, CA versus $3,836 in Saint Paul, MN.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,761 in Merced, CA versus $5,249 in Saint Paul, MN.

Living in Merced, CA is roughly 2% more expensive than Saint Paul, MN, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Merced, CA 85% above, Saint Paul, MN 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.29 $20.29

$18.12 $18.12

11.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.11 $40.11

$65.5 $65.5

-38.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.72 $11.72

$10.13 $10.13

15.70%

Cappuccino

$5.91 $5.91

$5.06 $5.06

16.80%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$2.70 $2.70

14.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.42 $2.42

-16.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.09 $9.09

$6.03 $6.03

50.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.96 $9.96

$7.15 $7.15

39.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 $1.18

$0.96 $0.96

22.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 $2.73

$4.30 $4.30

-36.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.30 $3.30

$3.88 $3.88

-14.95%

Eggs

$4.80 $4.80

$3.17 $3.17

51.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.80 $10.80

$9.52 $9.52

13.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.45 $15.45

$11.91 $11.91

29.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.27 $17.27

$14.28 $14.28

20.94%

Apples (1kg)

$5.90 $5.90

$4.87 $4.87

21.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.19 $1.19

114.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 $1.49

$5.95 $5.95

-74.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$5.11 $5.11

-12.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 $2.10

$3.80 $3.80

-44.74%

Onion (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$3.64 $3.64

-11.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.02 $2.02

-49.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.92 $1.92

44.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.27 $10.27

$10.65 $10.65

-3.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.14 $15.14

$14.56 $14.56

3.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.76 $1.76

33.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 $3.30

$4.42 $4.42

-25.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.47 $1.47

$2.26 $2.26

-34.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.6 $59.6

$118 $118

-49.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 $3.09

$4.93 $4.93

-37.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.43 $1.43

16.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.91 $26.91

$29.52 $29.52

-8.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 $1.23

$0.86 $0.86

43.02%

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

$29.9K $29.9K

$35.7K $35.7K

-16.32%

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

$27.0K $27.0K

$25.1K $25.1K

7.82%

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

$273 $273

$223 $223

22.54%

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

$34.82 $34.82

$48.45 $48.45

-28.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.1 $67.1

$72.0 $72.0

-6.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.49 $33.49

$41.36 $41.36

-19.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.15 $14.15

$10.05 $10.05

40.80%

Cinema Ticket

$15.73 $15.73

$13.80 $13.80

13.99%

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

$1,942 $1,942

$1,466 $1,466

32.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.4K $26.4K

$29.8K $29.8K

-11.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$39.62 $39.62

33.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.16 $44.16

$41.88 $41.88

5.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 $88.7

$83.4 $83.4

6.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 $139

$130 $130

7.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 $1,641

$1,232 $1,232

33.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,073 $1,073

$1,012 $1,012

6.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,960 $1,960

$2,196 $2,196

-10.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,894 $1,894

$2,253 $2,253

-15.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,870 $2,870

$2,899 $2,899

-0.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,857 $2,857

$2,226 $2,226

28.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,286 $3,286

$4,182 $4,182

-21.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

6.43

-1.09%

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

Last update for Merced, CA: June 2, 2026

Last update for Saint Paul, MN: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,641 in Merced, CA and $1,232 in Saint Paul, MN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Paul, MN pays 27% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $40.00 in Merced, CA vs $65.0 in Saint Paul, MN. Groceries flip the comparison at $405 vs $389, with Saint Paul, MN cheaper for home cooking.

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 Saint Paul, MN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Merced, CA and Saint Paul, MN differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($2,475 vs $2,423 including rent). Saint Paul, MN is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Saint Paul, MN earns 27% less. 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: $1,641 in Merced, CA versus $1,232 in Saint Paul, MN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,942 in Merced, CA versus $1,466 in Saint Paul, MN. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Merced, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,423 in Saint Paul, MN versus $2,475 in Merced, CA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Saint Paul, MN but tight or insufficient in Merced, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Saint Paul, MN the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Merced, CA and Saint Paul, MN are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Saint Paul, MN gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Merced, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.