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
61	Morelia, Mexico	743,275	47
62	Seattle, WA, United States	737,015	181
63	Mississauga, Canada	721,599	142
64	San Pedro Sula, Honduras	719,064	62
65	Denver, CO, United States	715,522	158
66	Reynosa, Mexico	691,557	61
67	Torreon, Mexico	690,193	42
68	Mixco, Guatemala	688,124	36
69	El Paso, TX, United States	678,815	106
70	Boston, MA, United States	675,647	210
71	Washington, MI, United States	672,228	134
72	Washington, DC, United States	672,228	188
73	Columbia, TN, United States	672,228	115
74	Winnipeg, Canada	663,617	110
75	Kingston, Jamaica	660,000	73
76	Acapulco, Mexico	658,609	48
77	Tlalnepantla, Mexico	653,410	53
78	Portland, ME, United States	652,503	151
79	Portland, OR, United States	652,503	148
80	Guadalupe, Mexico	635,862	63
81	Memphis, TN, United States	633,104	120
82	Detroit, MI, United States	632,464	125
83	Vancouver, Canada	631,486	143
84	Villa Nueva, Guatemala	618,397	40
85	Louisville, KY, United States	612,780	117
86	Milwaukee, WI, United States	605,013	122
87	Brampton, Canada	593,638	118
88	Baltimore, MD, United States	585,708	136
89	Oklahoma City, OK, United States	579,999	116
90	Tuxtla Gutierrez, Mexico	578,830	46

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.