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
361	Bridgeport, CT, United States	137,912	134
362	Cedar Rapids, IA, United States	137,710	102
363	Hampton, VA, United States	137,436	164
364	Hampton, NH, United States	137,436	137
365	Pasadena, CA, United States	137,122	206
366	Kent, OH, United States	136,588	96
367	Kent, WA, United States	136,588	165
368	Olathe, KS, United States	135,473	98
369	Fullerton, CA, United States	135,161	170
370	Perez Zeledon, Costa Rica	135,000	59
371	Warren, MI, United States	134,188	128
372	Warren, OH, United States	134,188	90
373	Warren, PA, United States	134,188	134
374	St.Catharines, Canada	133,113	116
375	Midland, TX, United States	132,524	132
376	Midland, MI, United States	132,524	121
377	San Pedro Garza Garcia, Mexico	132,169	118
378	Guelph, Canada	131,794	134
379	Spanish Town, Jamaica	131,056	43
380	Santa Clara, CA, United States	130,365	202
381	Visalia, CA, United States	130,104	123
382	Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic	130,000	42
383	Coral Springs, FL, United States	129,805	188
384	Stamford, CT, United States	129,000	183
385	Granada, Nicaragua	128,937	41
386	Whitby, ON, Canada	128,377	152
387	Azua, Dominican Republic	128,264	45
388	Elizabeth, NJ, United States	126,179	158
389	Murfreesboro, TN, United States	126,118	119
390	Topeka, KS, United States	124,331	95

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.