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
211	Richmond, KY, United States	226,610	129
212	Richmond, VA, United States	226,610	130
213	Chilpancingo De Los Bravo, Mexico	225,728	58
214	Bayamo, Cuba	225,567	75
215	Hialeah, FL, United States	224,669	142
216	Puerto Vallarta, Mexico	224,166	78
217	Toluca, Mexico	223,876	58
218	La Vega, Dominican Republic	220,279	26
219	San Bernardino, CA, United States	220,000	155
220	Tacoma, WA, United States	219,346	164
221	Cuajimalpa, Mexico	217,686	55
222	Tapachula, Mexico	217,550	55
223	Windsor, Canada	217,188	121
224	Windsor, NS, Canada	217,188	116
225	San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic	217,141	33
226	Regina, Canada	215,106	104
227	Huntsville, AL, United States	215,006	114
228	Coatzacoalcos, Mexico	212,540	55
229	Yonkers, NY, United States	211,569	172
230	Rochester, NY, United States	211,328	121
231	Rochester, MI, United States	211,328	114
232	Rochester, MN, United States	211,328	141
233	Modesto, CA, United States	211,266	134
234	Fontana, CA, United States	210,000	175
235	Irvine, CA, United States	209,716	192
236	Gilbert, AZ, United States	208,453	141
237	Leon, Nicaragua	207,533	36
238	Oxnard, CA, United States	207,254	152
239	Worcester, MA, United States	206,518	148
240	Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico	202,694	85

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.