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
121	Chimaltenango, Guatemala	43,900	37
122	Quesada, Costa Rica	42,000	77
123	Desamparados, Costa Rica	38,000	78
124	Champotón, Mexico	35,799	59
125	Ocotal, Nicaragua	34,580	35
126	Nandaime, Nicaragua	34,288	35
127	El Viejo, Nicaragua	33,607	35
128	La Paz Centro, Nicaragua	33,228	35
129	Curridabat, Costa Rica	33,000	79
130	Santiago, Panama	31,065	65
131	San Rafael, Costa Rica	30,000	80
132	San Felipe, Mexico	28,452	55
133	San Juan, Costa Rica	27,000	80
134	Turrialba, Costa Rica	27,000	80
135	Atotonilco el Alto, Mexico	26,874	59
136	Puerto Escondido, Mexico	25,902	59
137	Bugaba, Panama	25,000	34
138	Guadalupe, Costa Rica	23,000	67
139	Chapala, Mexico	21,596	53
140	San Isidro, Costa Rica	17,000	78
141	Grecia, Costa Rica	16,700	69
142	Anamoros, El Salvador	16,594	37
143	Upala, Costa Rica	15,000	66
144	San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua	14,741	48
145	Tlaxcala, Mexico	13,555	38
146	Isla Mujeres, Mexico	13,174	51
147	Santa Ana, Costa Rica	13,000	77
148	Escazu, Costa Rica	11,984	89
149	San Fernando, Mexico	11,867	57
150	Panajachel, Guatemala	11,142	33

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.