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
31	Ponce, Puerto Rico	107,951	87
32	Chaguanas, Trinidad And Tobago	83,489	64
33	Nagua, Dominican Republic	79,420	36
34	Fort-de-france, Martinique	76,512	105
35	Palma Soriano, Cuba	74,930	78
36	Toa Alta, Puerto Rico	74,000	64
37	Caguas, Puerto Rico	70,318	80
38	Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic	69,855	37
39	Guaynabo, Puerto Rico	68,491	98
40	Hato Mayor del Rey, Dominican Republic	61,517	35
41	Mayaguez, Puerto Rico	57,566	76
42	San Jose de Ocoa, Dominican Republic	57,174	43
43	San Fernando, Trinidad And Tobago	55,419	61
44	Tobago, Trinidad And Tobago	54,000	56
45	Esperanza, Dominican Republic	51,694	36
46	Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico	50,000	65
47	Couva, Trinidad And Tobago	48,858	66
48	Gurabo, Puerto Rico	45,000	82
49	Isabela, Puerto Rico	45,000	67
50	Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico	43,712	88
51	Aguada, Puerto Rico	41,000	86
52	Vega Alta, Puerto Rico	40,000	73
53	Coamo, Puerto Rico	40,000	73
54	Arecibo, Puerto Rico	39,634	73
55	Placetas, Cuba	39,615	78
56	Las Piedras, Puerto Rico	38,000	58
57	Port of Spain, Trinidad And Tobago	37,074	79
58	Marigot, Sint Maarten	36,286	167
59	San German, Puerto Rico	35,000	73
60	Oranjestad, Aruba	35,000	98

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

Last update: April 7, 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.