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, MA, United States	116,482	140
422	Springfield, OH, United States	116,482	100
423	Springfield, IL, United States	116,482	117
424	Smithtown, NY, United States	116,296	120
425	Evansville, IN, United States	115,738	113
426	Athens, TN, United States	115,452	88
427	Athens, GA, United States	115,452	95
428	Athens, OH, United States	115,452	76
429	Beaumont, CA, United States	115,282	117
430	Beaumont, TX, United States	115,282	88
431	Provo, UT, United States	115,162	104
432	Spring Hill, FL, United States	115,000	108
433	Carlsbad, NM, United States	114,746	102
434	Odessa, TX, United States	114,428	117
435	Downey, CA, United States	114,355	147
436	Gresham, OR, United States	114,247	126
437	Parral, Mexico	113,843	57
438	Peoria, AZ, United States	113,150	125
439	Peoria, IL, United States	113,150	92
440	Lansing, MI, United States	112,644	98
441	Lansing, IL, United States	112,644	118
442	Elgin, IL, United States	112,603	49
443	Bend, OR, United States	111,823	150
444	Antioch, CA, United States	111,502	124
445	Las Cruces, NM, United States	111,385	96
446	Westminster, CA, United States	110,945	125
447	Rio Rancho, NM, United States	110,660	120
448	Everett, WA, United States	110,629	147
449	St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada	110,525	97
450	Ahuachapan, El Salvador	110,511	84

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

Last update: August 25, 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.