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
1	Havana, Cuba	2,141,993	48
2	Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic	1,836,778	45
3	Trinidad, Trinidad And Tobago	1,363,958	70
4	Port-au-Prince, Haiti	1,275,000	101
5	Santo Domingo Este, Dominican Republic	1,000,230	39
6	Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic	965,040	55
7	Kingston, Jamaica	660,000	73
8	La Romana, Dominican Republic	567,431	40
9	Carrefour, Haiti	511,345	91
10	Pétion-Ville, Haiti	342,400	113
11	San Juan, Puerto Rico	322,854	120
12	Nassau, Bahamas	259,300	188
13	San Francisco de Macoris, Dominican Republic	245,397	30
14	Bajos de Haina, Dominican Republic	232,557	36
15	Bayamo, Cuba	225,567	75
16	La Vega, Dominican Republic	220,279	26
17	San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic	217,141	33
18	Moca, Dominican Republic	172,294	38
19	Portmore, Jamaica	170,000	55
20	Bayamon, Puerto Rico	165,368	90
21	Bonao, Dominican Republic	158,034	35
22	Cienfuegos, Cuba	150,404	59
23	Willemstad, Curacao	140,000	93
24	Carolina, Puerto Rico	138,304	62
25	Spanish Town, Jamaica	131,056	43
26	Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic	130,000	42
27	Azua, Dominican Republic	128,264	45
28	Montego Bay, Jamaica	110,115	65
29	Bridgetown, Barbados	110,000	84
30	Samana, Dominican Republic	108,179	41

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.