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
181	Cary, NC, United States	176,987	150
182	Chattanooga, TN, United States	176,588	126
183	Santa Rosa, CA, United States	174,972	170
184	Oceanside, CA, United States	174,068	181
185	Sherbrooke, Canada	172,950	86
186	Garden Grove, CA, United States	170,883	132
187	Rancho Cucamonga, CA, United States	170,714	166
188	Elk Grove, CA, United States	166,913	132
189	Fort Lauderdale, FL, United States	165,521	165
190	Port St Lucie, FL, United States	164,603	143
191	Tempe, AZ, United States	161,719	157
192	Sudbury, Canada	161,531	113
193	Alexandria, LA, United States	160,035	107
194	Alexandria, VA, United States	160,035	166
195	Alexandria, MN, United States	160,035	111
196	Oshawa, Canada	159,458	129
197	Hayward, CA, United States	159,203	164
198	Eugene, OR, United States	159,150	121
199	Salinas, CA, United States	157,380	186
200	Dayton, NV, United States	156,771	132
201	Dayton, OH, United States	156,771	110
202	Salem, OH, United States	155,469	121
203	Salem, MA, United States	155,469	171
204	Salem, OR, United States	155,469	135
205	Cape Coral, FL, United States	154,305	134
206	Pomona, CA, United States	154,271	138
207	Jackson, TN, United States	153,701	99
208	Jackson, MS, United States	153,701	120
209	Jackson, WY, United States	153,701	196
210	Killeen, TX, United States	153,095	117

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.