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
181	Reno, NV, United States	271,953	139
182	Toledo, OH, United States	268,508	93
183	Nogales, Mexico	261,137	55
184	Nassau, Bahamas	259,300	188
185	Oaxaca de Juarez, Mexico	258,913	52
186	Lubbock, TX, United States	257,141	119
187	Kitchener, Canada	256,855	126
188	Irving, TX, United States	256,684	114
189	Laredo, TX, United States	255,205	100
190	Longueuil, Canada	254,483	111
191	La Paz, Mexico	250,141	61
192	Campeche, Mexico	249,623	56
193	Chesapeake, VA, United States	249,422	128
194	Burnaby, Canada	249,125	141
195	Madison, WI, United States	248,951	142
196	Fort Wayne, IN, United States	248,637	108
197	Chandler, AZ, United States	248,631	137
198	Saskatoon, Canada	246,376	111
199	San Francisco de Macoris, Dominican Republic	245,397	30
200	Saint Petersburg, FL, United States	244,324	146
201	Norfolk, VA, United States	242,803	151
202	Garland, TX, United States	242,035	141
203	Scottsdale, AZ, United States	241,361	154
204	Fremont, CA, United States	241,110	190
205	Monclova, Mexico	237,169	58
206	Boise, ID, United States	235,684	129
207	Bajos de Haina, Dominican Republic	232,557	36
208	Choloma, Honduras	231,668	34
209	Baton Rouge, LA, United States	229,493	128
210	Spokane, WA, United States	228,989	137

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.