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
91	Brampton, Canada	593,638	$2,511	119
92	Baltimore, MD, United States	585,708	$2,591	125
93	Oklahoma City, OK, United States	579,999	$2,361	112
94	Tuxtla Gutierrez, Mexico	578,830	$900	43
95	Albuquerque, NM, United States	564,559	$2,253	109
96	Saint Andrew Parish, Jamaica	555,995	$1,490	72
97	Cuauhtémoc, Mexico	545,884	$1,191	57
98	Quebec City, Canada	530,168	$1,951	94
99	Sacramento, CA, United States	524,943	$2,961	143
100	Tucson, AZ, United States	520,116	$2,328	111
101	Fresno, CA, United States	520,052	$2,843	135
102	Hamilton, Canada	519,949	$2,378	113
103	Durango, Mexico	518,709	$1,063	52
104	Surrey, Canada	517,887	$2,335	111
105	Carrefour, Haiti	511,345	$1,830	87
106	Atlanta, GA, United States	510,823	$2,968	141
107	Matamoros, Mexico	510,739	$1,202	57
108	Mesa, AZ, United States	504,258	$2,439	116
109	Quetzaltenango, Guatemala	500,000	$1,144	55
110	Staten Island, NY, United States	495,747	$3,009	145
111	Omaha, NE, United States	486,051	$2,581	123
112	Cuautitlan Izcalli, Mexico	484,573	$1,122	54
113	Colorado Springs, CO, United States	478,961	$2,709	129
114	Long Beach, CA, United States	469,450	$3,170	152
115	Long Beach, NY, United States	469,450	$2,668	127
116	Kansas City, KS, United States	463,202	$2,698	130
117	Kansas City, MO, United States	463,202	$2,420	117
118	Virginia Beach, VA, United States	459,470	$2,847	137
119	Irapuato, Mexico	452,090	$1,325	63
120	Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico	443,063	$813	39

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

Last update: November 3, 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.