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
91	La Romana, Dominican Republic	567,431	40
92	Cuauhtémoc, Mexico	545,884	55
93	Quebec City, Canada	530,168	98
94	Tucson, AZ, United States	520,116	123
95	Fresno, CA, United States	520,052	150
96	Hamilton, Canada	519,949	123
97	Durango, Mexico	518,709	35
98	Surrey, Canada	517,887	137
99	Carrefour, Haiti	511,345	91
100	Matamoros, Mexico	510,739	57
101	Mesa, AZ, United States	504,258	139
102	Quetzaltenango, Guatemala	500,000	55
103	Staten Island, NY, United States	495,747	147
104	Omaha, NE, United States	486,051	132
105	Cuautitlan Izcalli, Mexico	484,573	52
106	Colorado Springs, CO, United States	478,961	153
107	Long Beach, CA, United States	469,450	169
108	Long Beach, NY, United States	469,450	129
109	Kansas City, MO, United States	463,202	119
110	Kansas City, KS, United States	463,202	135
111	Virginia Beach, VA, United States	459,470	131
112	Irapuato, Mexico	452,090	57
113	Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico	443,063	38
114	Mazatlan, Mexico	441,975	83
115	Laval, Canada	438,366	113
116	Oakland, CA, United States	433,031	171
117	Azcapotzalco, Mexico	432,205	55
118	Raleigh, NC, United States	431,746	146
119	Minneapolis, MN, United States	429,954	129
120	Nuevo Laredo, Mexico	416,055	55

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.