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	$2,497	119
92	Baltimore, MD, United States	585,708	$2,615	126
93	Oklahoma City, OK, United States	579,999	$2,361	113
94	Tuxtla Gutierrez, Mexico	578,830	$905	43
95	Albuquerque, NM, United States	564,559	$2,267	109
96	Saint Andrew Parish, Jamaica	555,995	$1,506	72
97	Cuauhtémoc, Mexico	545,884	$1,213	56
98	Quebec City, Canada	530,168	$1,931	93
99	Sacramento, CA, United States	524,943	$2,960	143
100	Tucson, AZ, United States	520,116	$2,332	112
101	Fresno, CA, United States	520,052	$2,864	136
102	Hamilton, Canada	519,949	$2,371	113
103	Durango, Mexico	518,709	$1,083	52
104	Surrey, Canada	517,887	$2,336	111
105	Carrefour, Haiti	511,345	$1,810	87
106	Atlanta, GA, United States	510,823	$2,927	141
107	Matamoros, Mexico	510,739	$1,179	56
108	Mesa, AZ, United States	504,258	$2,416	116
109	Quetzaltenango, Guatemala	500,000	$1,144	55
110	Staten Island, NY, United States	495,747	$3,005	144
111	Omaha, NE, United States	486,051	$2,594	123
112	Cuautitlan Izcalli, Mexico	484,573	$1,100	53
113	Colorado Springs, CO, United States	478,961	$2,710	130
114	Long Beach, CA, United States	469,450	$3,211	152
115	Long Beach, NY, United States	469,450	$2,699	128
116	Kansas City, KS, United States	463,202	$2,710	130
117	Kansas City, MO, United States	463,202	$2,447	117
118	Virginia Beach, VA, United States	459,470	$2,921	139
119	Irapuato, Mexico	452,090	$1,252	62
120	Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico	443,063	$814	39

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.