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
271	Clarksville, TN, United States	180,716	124
272	Aurora, IL, United States	180,542	105
273	Aurora, CO, United States	180,542	156
274	Providence, RI, United States	179,472	158
275	Cary, NC, United States	176,987	150
276	San Luis Rio Colorado, Mexico	176,685	54
277	Chattanooga, TN, United States	176,588	126
278	Santa Rosa, CA, United States	174,972	170
279	Oceanside, CA, United States	174,068	181
280	Piedras Negras, Mexico	173,959	54
281	Sherbrooke, Canada	172,950	86
282	Moca, Dominican Republic	172,294	38
283	Garden Grove, CA, United States	170,883	132
284	Rancho Cucamonga, CA, United States	170,714	166
285	Portmore, Jamaica	170,000	55
286	Santa Ana, El Salvador	167,200	40
287	Elk Grove, CA, United States	166,913	132
288	Fort Lauderdale, FL, United States	165,521	165
289	Bayamon, Puerto Rico	165,368	90
290	Port St Lucie, FL, United States	164,603	143
291	Tempe, AZ, United States	161,719	157
292	Sudbury, Canada	161,531	113
293	Salamanca, Mexico	160,682	56
294	Acuna, Mexico	160,225	46
295	Alexandria, VA, United States	160,035	166
296	Alexandria, LA, United States	160,035	107
297	Alexandria, MN, United States	160,035	111
298	Matagalpa, Nicaragua	159,982	43
299	Manzanillo, Mexico	159,853	59
300	Oshawa, Canada	159,458	129

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.