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	Price per month for a nomad	Living Index
31	Monterrey, Mexico	1,142,994	$1,651	79
32	Tegucigalpa, Honduras	1,126,534	$1,226	59
33	Panama City, Panama	1,086,990	$1,982	95
34	Managua, Nicaragua	1,039,290	$1,043	50
35	San Jose, CA, United States	1,035,317	$4,672	222
36	Edmonton, Canada	1,010,899	$2,180	104
37	Santo Domingo Este, Dominican Republic	1,000,230	$639	31
38	Ottawa, Canada	1,000,000	$2,449	118
39	Fort Worth, TX, United States	996,756	$2,731	131
40	Merida, Mexico	975,000	$1,321	64
41	Austin, MN, United States	974,447	$2,540	121
42	Austin, TX, United States	974,447	$2,667	128
43	Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic	965,040	$1,108	53
44	Jacksonville, FL, United States	949,611	$2,476	118
45	Jacksonville, NC, United States	949,611	$2,534	121
46	Chihuahua, Mexico	925,762	$1,256	60
47	Charlotte, NC, United States	911,311	$2,784	133
48	Columbus, GA, United States	905,748	$2,048	97
49	Columbus, IN, United States	905,748	$2,058	99
50	Columbus, OH, United States	905,748	$2,453	117
51	Cancun, Mexico	888,797	$1,659	79
52	Indianapolis, IN, United States	882,039	$2,691	129
53	Frisco, TX, United States	873,965	$2,778	133
54	San Francisco, CA, United States	873,965	$4,572	219
55	Saltillo, Mexico	864,431	$1,299	62
56	Aguascalientes, Mexico	863,893	$1,074	52
57	Hermosillo, Mexico	855,563	$1,150	55
58	Mexicali, Mexico	854,186	$928	45
59	San Luis Potosi, Mexico	845,941	$1,218	58
60	Culiacan, Mexico	808,416	$947	45

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

Last update: November 10, 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.