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	73
2	Guatemala City, Guatemala	2,450,212	62
3	Tijuana, Mexico	1,810,645	63
4	Ecatepec, Mexico	1,645,352	60
5	Leon, Mexico	1,579,803	43
6	Puebla, Mexico	1,542,232	63
7	Ciudad Juarez, Mexico	1,501,551	49
8	Guadalajara, Mexico	1,385,629	59
9	Zapopan, Mexico	1,257,547	61
10	Monterrey, Mexico	1,142,994	80
11	Tegucigalpa, Honduras	1,126,534	45
12	Panama City, Panama	1,086,990	90
13	Managua, Nicaragua	1,039,290	47
14	Merida, Mexico	975,000	61
15	Chihuahua, Mexico	925,762	56
16	Cancun, Mexico	888,797	68
17	Saltillo, Mexico	864,431	63
18	Aguascalientes, Mexico	863,893	50
19	Hermosillo, Mexico	855,563	50
20	Mexicali, Mexico	854,186	53
21	San Luis Potosi, Mexico	845,941	58
22	Culiacan, Mexico	808,416	49
23	Queretaro, Mexico	804,663	65
24	Naucalpan de Juárez, Mexico	792,211	60
25	Morelia, Mexico	743,275	47
26	San Pedro Sula, Honduras	719,064	62
27	Reynosa, Mexico	691,557	61
28	Torreon, Mexico	690,193	42
29	Mixco, Guatemala	688,124	36
30	Acapulco, Mexico	658,609	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.