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
151	Little Rock, AR, United States	202,591	114
152	Richmond Hill, Canada	202,022	152
153	Glendale, CA, United States	200,831	198
154	Glendale, AZ, United States	200,831	111
155	Birmingham, AL, United States	200,733	123
156	Montgomery, AL, United States	200,603	98
157	Salt Lake City, UT, United States	200,133	135
158	Grand Rapids, MI, United States	198,917	123
159	Richmond, Canada	198,309	127
160	Augusta, ME, United States	194,343	111
161	Augusta, GA, United States	194,343	123
162	Oakville, Canada	193,832	130
163	Huntington Beach, CA, United States	193,366	178
164	Sioux Falls, SD, United States	192,517	108
165	Vancouver, WA, United States	190,915	137
166	Knoxville, TN, United States	190,740	130
167	Overland Park, KS, United States	188,966	141
168	Shreveport, LA, United States	187,593	111
169	Mobile, AL, United States	187,041	109
170	Brownsville, TX, United States	186,738	96
171	Tallahassee, FL, United States	186,411	125
172	Newport News, VA, United States	186,247	133
173	Ontario, CA, United States	185,000	134
174	Grand Prairie, TX, United States	183,372	129
175	Burlington, Canada	183,314	138
176	Santa Clarita, CA, United States	182,371	186
177	Clarksville, TN, United States	180,716	124
178	Aurora, CO, United States	180,542	156
179	Aurora, IL, United States	180,542	105
180	Providence, RI, United States	179,472	158

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.