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
391	Thousand Oaks, CA, United States	124,207	192
392	New Haven, CT, United States	124,001	124
393	Ann Arbor, MI, United States	123,851	129
394	Kingston, Canada	123,363	115
395	Victorville, CA, United States	122,225	143
396	Vallejo, CA, United States	121,692	140
397	Waterloo, Canada	121,436	120
398	Berkeley, CA, United States	121,363	194
399	Lafayette, IN, United States	121,324	114
400	Simi Valley, CA, United States	121,288	165
401	College Station, TX, United States	120,511	105
402	Allentown, PA, United States	120,443	134
403	Palm Bay, FL, United States	119,760	113
404	Ajax, ON, Canada	119,677	150
405	Round Rock, TX, United States	119,468	125
406	Saanich, Canada	117,735	130
407	West Palm Beach, FL, United States	117,415	153
408	Independence, MO, United States	117,213	108
409	Independence, KS, United States	117,213	129
410	Fairfield, CA, United States	117,133	198
411	Fairfield, CT, United States	117,133	133
412	Billings, MT, United States	117,116	111
413	Heredia, Costa Rica	117,000	74
414	West Jordan, UT, United States	116,961	129
415	Gainesville, GA, United States	116,616	129
416	Springfield, IL, United States	116,482	121
417	Springfield, VA, United States	116,482	132
418	Springfield, MA, United States	116,482	156
419	Springfield, MO, United States	116,482	102
420	Springfield, OH, United States	116,482	114

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.