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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,405 in Saint Paul, MN versus $2,467 in Merced, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,753 in Saint Paul, MN versus $3,652 in Merced, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,100 in Saint Paul, MN versus $4,836 in Merced, CA.

Living in Saint Paul, MN costs roughly 2% less than in Merced, CA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Saint Paul, MN 80% above, Merced, CA 85% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.76 $17.76

$20.30 $20.30

-12.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.2 $66.2

$40.25 $40.25

64.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.82 $9.82

$11.63 $11.63

-15.56%

Cappuccino

$5.05 $5.05

$5.95 $5.95

-15.13%

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

$2.78 $2.78

$3.05 $3.05

-8.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.03 $2.03

17.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.88 $5.88

$8.80 $8.80

-33.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.86 $6.86

$10.14 $10.14

-32.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.17 $1.17

-11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$4.18 $4.18

$2.83 $2.83

47.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.81 $3.81

$3.22 $3.22

18.32%

Eggs

$3.33 $3.33

$4.96 $4.96

-32.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.36 $9.36

$11.10 $11.10

-15.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.62 $11.62

$15.17 $15.17

-23.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.26 $14.26

$17.78 $17.78

-19.80%

Apples (1kg)

$5.06 $5.06

$5.96 $5.96

-15.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 $1.20

$2.47 $2.47

-51.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.64 $5.64

$1.48 $1.48

281.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 $5.18

$4.47 $4.47

15.88%

Potato (1kg)

$3.94 $3.94

$2.11 $2.11

86.73%

Onion (1kg)

$3.75 $3.75

$3.36 $3.36

11.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.98 $0.98

103.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$2.90 $2.90

-33.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.66 $10.66

$10.20 $10.20

4.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 $14.71

$15.46 $15.46

-4.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.28 $2.28

-23.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 $4.45

$3.41 $3.41

30.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.52 $1.52

49.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 $121

$60.2 $60.2

101.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.04 $5.04

$3.08 $3.08

63.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.71 $1.71

-19.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.27 $29.27

$26.86 $26.86

8.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.23 $1.23

-33.33%

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

$35.1K $35.1K

$29.4K $29.4K

19.42%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$27.0K $27.0K

-5.26%

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

$226 $226

$274 $274

-17.74%

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

$49.33 $49.33

$34.81 $34.81

41.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.9 $71.9

$66.9 $66.9

7.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.02 $42.02

$33.45 $33.45

25.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.81 $9.81

$13.79 $13.79

-28.86%

Cinema Ticket

$14.01 $14.01

$15.68 $15.68

-10.65%

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

$1,458 $1,458

$1,979 $1,979

-26.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$25.9K $25.9K

18.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.77 $38.77

$53.1 $53.1

-27.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.32 $41.32

$44.10 $44.10

-6.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 $84.5

$89.1 $89.1

-5.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 $127

$139 $139

-9.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,248 $1,248

$1,652 $1,652

-24.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,017 $1,017

$1,067 $1,067

-4.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,180 $2,180

$2,011 $2,011

8.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,276 $2,276

$1,878 $1,878

21.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,957 $2,957

$2,861 $2,861

3.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,197 $2,197

$2,942 $2,942

-25.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,046 $4,046

$3,302 $3,302

22.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

6.36

1.10%

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

Last update for Saint Paul, MN: July 11, 2026

Last update for Merced, CA: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,248 in Saint Paul, MN and $1,652 in Merced, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Paul, MN pays 23% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $66.0 in Saint Paul, MN vs $40.00 in Merced, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $388 vs $409, 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

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

Saint Paul, MN and Merced, CA differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($2,405 vs $2,467 including rent). Saint Paul, MN is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 23% higher in Saint Paul, MN, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,248 in Saint Paul, MN versus $1,652 in Merced, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,458 in Saint Paul, MN versus $1,979 in Merced, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Merced, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,405 in Saint Paul, MN versus $2,467 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, Saint Paul, MN and Merced, CA 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 3% less than in Merced, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.