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
91	Riverside, CA, United States	320,000	152
92	Corpus Christi, TX, United States	317,863	104
93	Pittsburgh, PA, United States	311,647	127
94	Newark, NJ, United States	311,549	156
95	Newark, DE, United States	311,549	128
96	Orlando, FL, United States	307,573	146
97	Stockton, CA, United States	305,658	131
98	St. Louis, MO, United States	301,578	129
99	Saint Louis, MO, United States	301,578	123
100	Oyster Bay, NY, United States	301,332	126
101	Greensboro, NC, United States	299,035	119
102	Cincinnati, OH, United States	298,800	108
103	Jersey City, NJ, United States	292,449	193
104	Gatineau, Canada	291,041	105
105	Plano, TX, United States	288,253	138
106	Saint Paul, MN, United States	285,068	119
107	Durham, NC, United States	283,506	130
108	Lincoln, NE, United States	277,348	100
109	Chula Vista, CA, United States	275,487	161
110	Reno, NV, United States	271,953	139
111	Toledo, OH, United States	268,508	93
112	Lubbock, TX, United States	257,141	119
113	Kitchener, Canada	256,855	126
114	Irving, TX, United States	256,684	114
115	Laredo, TX, United States	255,205	100
116	Longueuil, Canada	254,483	111
117	Chesapeake, VA, United States	249,422	128
118	Burnaby, Canada	249,125	141
119	Madison, WI, United States	248,951	142
120	Fort Wayne, IN, United States	248,637	108

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.