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
301	Smithtown, NY, United States	116,296	126
302	Evansville, IN, United States	115,738	129
303	Athens, TN, United States	115,452	129
304	Athens, OH, United States	115,452	80
305	Athens, GA, United States	115,452	110
306	Beaumont, CA, United States	115,282	129
307	Beaumont, TX, United States	115,282	129
308	Provo, UT, United States	115,162	125
309	Spring Hill, FL, United States	115,000	121
310	Carlsbad, NM, United States	114,746	124
311	Odessa, TX, United States	114,428	119
312	Downey, CA, United States	114,355	146
313	Gresham, OR, United States	114,247	130
314	Peoria, AZ, United States	113,150	137
315	Peoria, IL, United States	113,150	99
316	Lansing, MI, United States	112,644	94
317	Lansing, IL, United States	112,644	129
318	Elgin, IL, United States	112,603	120
319	Bend, OR, United States	111,823	157
320	Antioch, CA, United States	111,502	140
321	Las Cruces, NM, United States	111,385	95
322	Westminster, CA, United States	110,945	129
323	Rio Rancho, NM, United States	110,660	134
324	Everett, WA, United States	110,629	151
325	St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada	110,525	105
326	Waterbury, CT, United States	110,366	182
327	Milton, Canada	110,128	155
328	Costa Mesa, CA, United States	109,960	191
329	Murrieta, CA, United States	109,830	176
330	Denton, TX, United States	109,561	113

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.