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	152
362	Vacaville, CA, United States	100,670	171
363	Red Deer, Canada	100,418	104
364	Edinburg, TX, United States	100,243	118
365	Temecula, CA, United States	100,097	142
366	Kenosha, WI, United States	99,986	109
367	San Angelo, TX, United States	99,893	140
368	Roanoke, VA, United States	99,837	102
369	Roanoke, AL, United States	99,837	118
370	Carmel, IN, United States	99,757	118
371	Tuscaloosa, AL, United States	99,600	100
372	Albany, OR, United States	99,224	66
373	Albany, GA, United States	99,224	114
374	Vista, CA, United States	98,381	158
375	Tracy, CA, United States	98,337	107
376	Orem, UT, United States	98,129	118
377	Brantford, Canada	97,496	97
378	Beaverton, OR, United States	97,494	134
379	North Charleston, SC, United States	97,471	130
380	Erie, PA, United States	97,263	98
381	Mission Viejo, CA, United States	97,156	122
382	Yakima, WA, United States	96,968	104
383	Livonia, MI, United States	96,736	104
384	Portsmouth, NH, United States	95,535	131
385	Portsmouth, OH, United States	95,535	81
386	Toms River, NJ, United States	95,438	133
387	Lawrence, KS, United States	95,358	99
388	Saint George, UT, United States	95,342	113
389	St. George, UT, United States	95,342	118
390	Longmont, CO, United States	94,341	137

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.