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	54
62	Seattle, WA, United States	737,015	174
63	Mississauga, Canada	721,599	122
64	San Pedro Sula, Honduras	719,064	56
65	Denver, CO, United States	715,522	145
66	Reynosa, Mexico	691,557	58
67	Torreon, Mexico	690,193	57
68	Mixco, Guatemala	688,124	36
69	El Paso, TX, United States	678,815	96
70	Boston, MA, United States	675,647	199
71	Washington, DC, United States	672,228	179
72	Washington, MI, United States	672,228	118
73	Columbia, TN, United States	672,228	105
74	Winnipeg, Canada	663,617	99
75	Kingston, Jamaica	660,000	78
76	Acapulco, Mexico	658,609	43
77	Tlalnepantla, Mexico	653,410	55
78	Portland, OR, United States	652,503	153
79	Portland, ME, United States	652,503	148
80	Guadalupe, Mexico	635,862	57
81	Memphis, TN, United States	633,104	112
82	Detroit, MI, United States	632,464	108
83	Vancouver, Canada	631,486	129
84	Villa Nueva, Guatemala	618,397	41
85	Louisville, KY, United States	612,780	102
86	Milwaukee, WI, United States	605,013	116
87	Brampton, Canada	593,638	112
88	Baltimore, MD, United States	585,708	115
89	Oklahoma City, OK, United States	579,999	111
90	Tuxtla Gutierrez, Mexico	578,830	45

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.