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	Price per month for a nomad	Living Index
31	Guadalupe, Mexico	635,862	$1,211	58
32	Tuxtla Gutierrez, Mexico	578,830	$900	43
33	Cuauhtémoc, Mexico	545,884	$1,191	57
34	Durango, Mexico	518,709	$1,063	52
35	Matamoros, Mexico	510,739	$1,202	57
36	Quetzaltenango, Guatemala	500,000	$1,144	55
37	Cuautitlan Izcalli, Mexico	484,573	$1,122	54
38	Irapuato, Mexico	452,090	$1,325	63
39	Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico	443,063	$813	39
40	Mazatlan, Mexico	441,975	$1,407	67
41	Azcapotzalco, Mexico	432,205	$1,197	57
42	Nuevo Laredo, Mexico	416,055	$1,189	57
43	Miguel Hidalgo, Mexico	414,470	$1,215	58
44	Veracruz, Mexico	405,952	$1,026	49
45	Celaya, Mexico	378,143	$898	43
46	San Miguelito, Panama	375,409	$962	46
47	Tepic, Mexico	371,387	$1,197	57
48	San Jose, Costa Rica	342,188	$2,107	101
49	Cuernavaca, Mexico	341,029	$1,190	58
50	Villahermosa, Mexico	340,060	$1,208	58
51	Ciudad Victoria, Mexico	332,100	$1,206	57
52	Ensenada, Mexico	330,652	$1,059	51
53	Ciudad Obregon, Mexico	329,404	$1,140	53
54	San Salvador, El Salvador	316,090	$1,622	78
55	Uruapan del Progreso, Mexico	299,523	$1,189	57
56	Los Mochis, Mexico	298,009	$1,143	54
57	Pachuca, Mexico	297,848	$878	42
58	Tampico, Mexico	297,562	$1,301	62
59	Tehuacan, Mexico	293,825	$1,258	60
60	Nogales, Mexico	261,137	$1,207	57

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

Last update: November 3, 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.