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
121	Cojutepeque, El Salvador	48,411	$815	39
122	Tulum, Mexico	46,721	$1,226	59
123	Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala	46,054	$1,271	61
124	Liberia, Costa Rica	46,000	$1,620	77
125	Tlajomulco de Zúñiga, Mexico	44,103	$1,145	55
126	Quesada, Costa Rica	42,000	$1,680	80
127	San Vicente, El Salvador	41,504	$815	39
128	Ilopango, El Salvador	38,890	$1,622	78
129	Desamparados, Costa Rica	38,000	$1,692	81
130	Champotón, Mexico	35,799	$1,286	61
131	Ocotal, Nicaragua	34,580	$818	39
132	Nandaime, Nicaragua	34,288	$822	39
133	Antiguo Cuscatlan, El Salvador	33,767	$808	39
134	El Viejo, Nicaragua	33,607	$818	39
135	La Paz Centro, Nicaragua	33,228	$814	39
136	Curridabat, Costa Rica	33,000	$1,660	82
137	Santiago, Panama	31,065	$1,441	69
138	San Rafael, Costa Rica	30,000	$1,718	83
139	San Felipe, Mexico	28,452	$1,164	56
140	San Pedro, Costa Rica	27,477	$1,714	83
141	San Juan, Costa Rica	27,000	$1,723	83
142	Turrialba, Costa Rica	27,000	$1,724	83
143	Atotonilco el Alto, Mexico	26,874	$1,266	61
144	Vazquez de Coronado, Costa Rica	26,669	$1,718	83
145	Puerto Escondido, Mexico	25,902	$1,211	57
146	Guadalupe, Costa Rica	23,000	$1,601	76
147	Chapala, Mexico	21,596	$1,062	51
148	Aguilares, El Salvador	21,445	$812	39
149	Roatan, Honduras	17,425	$1,226	59
150	San Isidro, Costa Rica	17,000	$1,676	81

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.