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
451	Montego Bay, Jamaica	110,115	65
452	Cartago, Costa Rica	110,000	75
453	Bridgetown, Barbados	110,000	84
454	Costa Mesa, CA, United States	109,960	191
455	Murrieta, CA, United States	109,830	176
456	Denton, TX, United States	109,561	113
457	Manchester, TN, United States	109,497	129
458	Manchester, NH, United States	109,497	145
459	Delta, BC, Canada	108,455	137
460	Samana, Dominican Republic	108,179	41
461	Lakeland, FL, United States	108,054	139
462	Ponce, Puerto Rico	107,951	87
463	Thunder Bay, Canada	107,909	119
464	Clearwater, FL, United States	107,742	148
465	Edison, NJ, United States	107,588	167
466	Santa Maria, CA, United States	107,408	161
467	Roseville, CA, United States	107,158	165
468	Allen, TX, United States	106,874	133
469	Renton, WA, United States	106,785	150
470	Lowell, MA, United States	106,519	133
471	Hillsboro, OR, United States	106,447	124
472	El Cajon, CA, United States	106,215	162
473	Texcoco de Mora, Mexico	105,165	55
474	Cambridge, OH, United States	105,162	129
475	Cambridge, MA, United States	105,162	218
476	Menifee, CA, United States	105,000	151
477	Lewisville, TX, United States	104,659	117
478	Ventura, CA, United States	104,423	174
479	High Point, NC, United States	104,371	131
480	Sparks, NV, United States, United States	104,246	124

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.