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
421	Springfield, OR, United States	116,482	112
422	Smithtown, NY, United States	116,296	126
423	Evansville, IN, United States	115,738	129
424	Athens, TN, United States	115,452	129
425	Athens, GA, United States	115,452	110
426	Athens, OH, United States	115,452	80
427	Beaumont, TX, United States	115,282	129
428	Beaumont, CA, United States	115,282	129
429	Provo, UT, United States	115,162	125
430	Spring Hill, FL, United States	115,000	121
431	Carlsbad, NM, United States	114,746	124
432	Odessa, TX, United States	114,428	119
433	Downey, CA, United States	114,355	146
434	Gresham, OR, United States	114,247	130
435	Parral, Mexico	113,843	55
436	Peoria, AZ, United States	113,150	137
437	Peoria, IL, United States	113,150	99
438	Lansing, MI, United States	112,644	94
439	Lansing, IL, United States	112,644	129
440	Elgin, IL, United States	112,603	120
441	Bend, OR, United States	111,823	157
442	Antioch, CA, United States	111,502	140
443	Las Cruces, NM, United States	111,385	95
444	Westminster, CA, United States	110,945	129
445	Rio Rancho, NM, United States	110,660	134
446	Everett, WA, United States	110,629	151
447	St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada	110,525	105
448	Ahuachapan, El Salvador	110,511	89
449	Waterbury, CT, United States	110,366	182
450	Milton, Canada	110,128	155

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.