Most and Least Affordable Cities by City Size

Explore how affordability varies by city size around the world. This ranking compares the most and least affordable cities within small, mid-sized, and large population categories, helping you understand how urban scale impacts cost of living. Use the interactive table and map to filter cities by size group and compare Cost of Living Index values. Whether you're looking for a budget-friendly small city or evaluating affordability in major global hubs, this page provides a clear, data-driven comparison.

Lowest

Highest

Region Worldwide North America Northern America Central America Caribbean

Rank	City	Population	Living Index
1	Mexico City, Mexico	9,209,944	73
2	Long Island, NY, United States	7,804,968	179
3	Los Angeles, CA, United States	4,030,904	181
4	Chicago, IL, United States	2,746,388	154
5	Toronto, Canada	2,731,571	140
6	Guatemala City, Guatemala	2,450,212	62
7	Queens, NY, United States	2,405,464	166
8	Houston, TX, United States	2,304,580	130
9	Houston, MO, United States	2,304,580	127
10	Havana, Cuba	2,141,993	48
11	Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic	1,836,778	45
12	Tijuana, Mexico	1,810,645	63
13	Montreal, Canada	1,762,949	104
14	Manhattan, KS, United States	1,694,251	106
15	Ecatepec, Mexico	1,645,352	60
16	Phoenix, AZ, United States	1,608,139	141
17	Leon, Mexico	1,579,803	43
18	Puebla, Mexico	1,542,232	63
19	Ciudad Juarez, Mexico	1,501,551	49
20	San Antonio, TX, United States	1,434,625	121
21	San Diego, CA, United States	1,386,932	197
22	Guadalajara, Mexico	1,385,629	59
23	Trinidad, Trinidad And Tobago	1,363,958	70
24	Dallas, TX, United States	1,302,638	146
25	Port-au-Prince, Haiti	1,275,000	101
26	Calgary, Canada	1,267,344	124
27	Zapopan, Mexico	1,257,547	61
28	Monterrey, Mexico	1,142,994	80
29	Tegucigalpa, Honduras	1,126,534	45
30	Panama City, Panama	1,086,990	90

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

Last update: February 24, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

Affordability is based on the Cost of Living Index, which compares average expenses such as housing, food, transportation, and services. Cities are grouped by population size to allow fair comparisons within similar urban categories.

Larger cities often have higher housing demand, stronger job markets, and greater infrastructure costs, which can increase living expenses. Smaller cities may offer lower housing and daily costs but sometimes fewer economic opportunities.

Not always. While small cities are often more affordable, factors like salary levels, job availability, quality of life, and services should also be considered. This ranking helps you compare affordability within each city size category.