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
421	Waukegan, IL, United States	89,321	129
422	Fort Smith, AR, United States	89,142	89
423	Indio, CA, United States	89,137	123
424	Fall River, MA, United States	88,857	128
425	San Leandro, CA, United States	88,815	146
426	Redwood City, CA, United States	88,314	204
427	Champaign, IL, United States	88,302	100
428	Reading, PA, United States	88,082	132
429	Newmarket, ON, Canada	87,942	134
430	Lawton, OK, United States	87,540	124
431	Santa Fe, NM, United States	87,505	145
432	Ogden, UT, United States	87,321	121
433	Livermore, CA, United States	86,803	175
434	Nashua, NH, United States	86,494	151
435	Boca Raton, FL, United States	86,396	164
436	Lehi, UT, United States	86,284	111
437	Duluth, GA, United States	86,265	140
438	Duluth, MN, United States	86,265	110
439	Plantation, FL, United States	85,938	129
440	Warwick, RI, United States	85,925	141
441	Sioux City, IA, United States	85,797	107
442	Victoria, Canada	85,792	134
443	Norwalk, CT, United States	85,603	161
444	Norwalk, CA, United States	85,603	132
445	Newport Beach, CA, United States	85,186	259
446	Newton, MA, United States	85,146	168
447	Newton, IA, United States	85,146	123
448	Lake Charles, LA, United States	84,872	134
449	Deltona, FL, United States	84,273	132
450	Springdale, AR, United States	84,161	129

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.