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
91	Zacatecas, Mexico	138,444	37
92	Chinandega, Nicaragua	135,578	34
93	Perez Zeledon, Costa Rica	135,000	62
94	San Pedro Garza Garcia, Mexico	132,169	130
95	Granada, Nicaragua	128,937	40
96	Heredia, Costa Rica	117,000	83
97	Parral, Mexico	113,843	57
98	Ahuachapan, El Salvador	110,511	84
99	Cartago, Costa Rica	110,000	76
100	Texcoco de Mora, Mexico	105,165	57
101	Rosarito, Mexico	100,660	58
102	Ciudad Lerdo, Mexico	96,243	42
103	Lazaro Cardenas, Mexico	83,637	57
104	San Miguel de Allende, Mexico	72,452	79
105	Guanajuato, Mexico	70,068	51
106	Puntarenas, Costa Rica	70,000	47
107	Zihuatanejo, Mexico	67,408	57
108	Belize City, Belize	63,999	56
109	San Andres Tuxtla, Mexico	61,719	57
110	Ayutuxtepeque, El Salvador	60,000	44
111	Comayagua, Honduras	58,600	39
112	Diriamba, Nicaragua	57,542	35
113	Puerto Penasco, Mexico	56,756	60
114	Rivas, Nicaragua	53,208	39
115	Jinotepe, Nicaragua	53,081	35
116	Alajuela, Costa Rica	50,000	46
117	Tulum, Mexico	46,721	61
118	Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala	46,054	60
119	Liberia, Costa Rica	46,000	75
120	Tlajomulco de Zúñiga, Mexico	44,103	58

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.