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
61	Nogales, Mexico	261,137	55
62	Oaxaca de Juarez, Mexico	258,913	52
63	La Paz, Mexico	250,141	61
64	Campeche, Mexico	249,623	56
65	Monclova, Mexico	237,169	58
66	Choloma, Honduras	231,668	34
67	Chilpancingo De Los Bravo, Mexico	225,728	58
68	Puerto Vallarta, Mexico	224,166	78
69	Toluca, Mexico	223,876	58
70	Cuajimalpa, Mexico	217,686	55
71	Tapachula, Mexico	217,550	55
72	Coatzacoalcos, Mexico	212,540	55
73	Leon, Nicaragua	207,533	36
74	Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico	202,694	85
75	La Ceiba, Honduras	196,856	35
76	Ciudad del Carmen, Mexico	191,238	55
77	San Cristobal de las Casas, Mexico	183,509	45
78	San Luis Rio Colorado, Mexico	176,685	54
79	Piedras Negras, Mexico	173,959	54
80	Santa Ana, El Salvador	167,200	40
81	Salamanca, Mexico	160,682	56
82	Acuna, Mexico	160,225	46
83	Matagalpa, Nicaragua	159,982	43
84	Manzanillo, Mexico	159,853	59
85	Cuautla, Mexico	157,336	59
86	Playa del Carmen, Mexico	149,923	64
87	Colima, Mexico	146,965	45
88	Jinotega, Nicaragua	144,503	26
89	Santa Tecla, El Salvador	138,695	68
90	Zacatecas, Mexico	138,444	48

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.