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
361	Federal Way, WA, United States	101,030	166
362	Vacaville, CA, United States	100,670	186
363	Red Deer, Canada	100,418	110
364	Edinburg, TX, United States	100,243	129
365	Temecula, CA, United States	100,097	146
366	Kenosha, WI, United States	99,986	111
367	San Angelo, TX, United States	99,893	175
368	Roanoke, AL, United States	99,837	129
369	Roanoke, VA, United States	99,837	96
370	Carmel, IN, United States	99,757	129
371	Tuscaloosa, AL, United States	99,600	103
372	Albany, OR, United States	99,224	131
373	Albany, GA, United States	99,224	123
374	Vista, CA, United States	98,381	154
375	Tracy, CA, United States	98,337	139
376	Orem, UT, United States	98,129	134
377	Brantford, Canada	97,496	106
378	Beaverton, OR, United States	97,494	136
379	North Charleston, SC, United States	97,471	133
380	Erie, PA, United States	97,263	119
381	Mission Viejo, CA, United States	97,156	129
382	Yakima, WA, United States	96,968	110
383	Livonia, MI, United States	96,736	129
384	Portsmouth, OH, United States	95,535	124
385	Portsmouth, NH, United States	95,535	148
386	Toms River, NJ, United States	95,438	139
387	Lawrence, KS, United States	95,358	106
388	St. George, UT, United States	95,342	129
389	Saint George, UT, United States	95,342	124
390	Longmont, CO, United States	94,341	154

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.