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	Mexico City, Mexico	9,209,944	77
2	Guatemala City, Guatemala	2,450,212	62
3	Tijuana, Mexico	1,810,645	64
4	Ecatepec, Mexico	1,645,352	49
5	Leon, Mexico	1,579,803	59
6	Puebla, Mexico	1,542,232	52
7	Ciudad Juarez, Mexico	1,501,551	57
8	Guadalajara, Mexico	1,385,629	64
9	Zapopan, Mexico	1,257,547	75
10	Monterrey, Mexico	1,142,994	81
11	Tegucigalpa, Honduras	1,126,534	56
12	Panama City, Panama	1,086,990	86
13	Managua, Nicaragua	1,039,290	45
14	Merida, Mexico	975,000	64
15	Chihuahua, Mexico	925,762	61
16	Cancun, Mexico	888,797	68
17	Saltillo, Mexico	864,431	65
18	Aguascalientes, Mexico	863,893	53
19	Hermosillo, Mexico	855,563	58
20	Mexicali, Mexico	854,186	46
21	San Luis Potosi, Mexico	845,941	64
22	Culiacan, Mexico	808,416	50
23	Queretaro, Mexico	804,663	70
24	Naucalpan de Juárez, Mexico	792,211	61
25	Morelia, Mexico	743,275	54
26	San Pedro Sula, Honduras	719,064	56
27	Reynosa, Mexico	691,557	58
28	Torreon, Mexico	690,193	57
29	Mixco, Guatemala	688,124	36
30	Acapulco, Mexico	658,609	43

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.