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	Tlalnepantla, Mexico	653,410	53
32	Guadalupe, Mexico	635,862	63
33	Villa Nueva, Guatemala	618,397	40
34	Tuxtla Gutierrez, Mexico	578,830	46
35	Cuauhtémoc, Mexico	545,884	55
36	Durango, Mexico	518,709	35
37	Matamoros, Mexico	510,739	57
38	Quetzaltenango, Guatemala	500,000	55
39	Cuautitlan Izcalli, Mexico	484,573	52
40	Irapuato, Mexico	452,090	57
41	Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico	443,063	38
42	Mazatlan, Mexico	441,975	83
43	Azcapotzalco, Mexico	432,205	55
44	Nuevo Laredo, Mexico	416,055	55
45	Miguel Hidalgo, Mexico	414,470	56
46	Veracruz, Mexico	405,952	51
47	Celaya, Mexico	378,143	57
48	San Miguelito, Panama	375,409	44
49	Tepic, Mexico	371,387	52
50	San Jose, Costa Rica	342,188	79
51	Cuernavaca, Mexico	341,029	50
52	Villahermosa, Mexico	340,060	56
53	Ciudad Victoria, Mexico	332,100	61
54	Ensenada, Mexico	330,652	52
55	Ciudad Obregon, Mexico	329,404	53
56	San Salvador, El Salvador	316,090	75
57	Los Mochis, Mexico	298,009	55
58	Pachuca, Mexico	297,848	43
59	Tampico, Mexico	297,562	55
60	Tehuacan, Mexico	293,825	50

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.