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
151	Ensenada, Mexico	330,652	53
152	Ciudad Obregon, Mexico	329,404	58
153	Vaughan, Canada	323,103	120
154	San Juan, Puerto Rico	322,854	102
155	Lexington, MA, United States	322,570	119
156	Lexington, KY, United States	322,570	100
157	Riverside, CA, United States	320,000	150
158	Corpus Christi, TX, United States	317,863	99
159	San Salvador, El Salvador	316,090	76
160	Pittsburgh, PA, United States	311,647	117
161	Newark, DE, United States	311,549	121
162	Newark, NJ, United States	311,549	140
163	Orlando, FL, United States	307,573	136
164	Stockton, CA, United States	305,658	127
165	St. Louis, MO, United States	301,578	118
166	Saint Louis, MO, United States	301,578	111
167	Oyster Bay, NY, United States	301,332	119
168	Greensboro, NC, United States	299,035	108
169	Cincinnati, OH, United States	298,800	107
170	Los Mochis, Mexico	298,009	57
171	Pachuca, Mexico	297,848	44
172	Tampico, Mexico	297,562	62
173	Tehuacan, Mexico	293,825	62
174	Jersey City, NJ, United States	292,449	175
175	Gatineau, Canada	291,041	96
176	Plano, TX, United States	288,253	124
177	Saint Paul, MN, United States	285,068	108
178	Durham, NC, United States	283,506	115
179	Lincoln, NE, United States	277,348	96
180	Chula Vista, CA, United States	275,487	157

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.