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	Waterbury, CT, United States	110,366	166
452	Milton, Canada	110,128	128
453	Montego Bay, Jamaica	110,115	53
454	Cartago, Costa Rica	110,000	76
455	Bridgetown, Barbados	110,000	106
456	Costa Mesa, CA, United States	109,960	184
457	Murrieta, CA, United States	109,830	176
458	Denton, TX, United States	109,561	106
459	Manchester, NH, United States	109,497	130
460	Manchester, TN, United States	109,497	120
461	Delta, BC, Canada	108,455	125
462	Samana, Dominican Republic	108,179	34
463	Lakeland, FL, United States	108,054	134
464	Ponce, Puerto Rico	107,951	89
465	Thunder Bay, Canada	107,909	102
466	Clearwater, FL, United States	107,742	136
467	Edison, NJ, United States	107,588	147
468	Santa Maria, CA, United States	107,408	134
469	Roseville, CA, United States	107,158	160
470	Allen, TX, United States	106,874	126
471	Renton, WA, United States	106,785	139
472	Lowell, MA, United States	106,519	122
473	Hillsboro, OR, United States	106,447	132
474	El Cajon, CA, United States	106,215	161
475	Texcoco de Mora, Mexico	105,165	57
476	Cambridge, MA, United States	105,162	204
477	Cambridge, OH, United States	105,162	117
478	Menifee, CA, United States	105,000	139
479	Lewisville, TX, United States	104,659	106
480	Ventura, CA, United States	104,423	162

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.