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 South America

Rank	City	Population	Living Index
1	Sao Paulo, Brazil	11,451,999	53
2	Lima, Peru	9,989,369	49
3	Bogota, Colombia	8,181,047	48
4	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	6,211,223	48
5	Santiago, Chile	6,139,087	64
6	Guayaquil, Ecuador	3,500,000	53
7	Caracas, Venezuela	3,274,000	59
8	Buenos Aires, Argentina	2,891,082	70
9	Brasilia, Brazil	2,817,381	43
10	Quito, Ecuador	2,671,191	48
11	Cali, Colombia	2,568,609	38
12	Medellin, Colombia	2,486,723	51
13	Fortaleza, Brazil	2,428,708	41
14	Salvador, Brazil	2,417,678	39
15	Belo Horizonte, Brazil	2,315,560	42
16	Valencia, Venezuela	2,299,026	37
17	Manaus, Brazil	2,063,689	43
18	Maracaibo, Venezuela	2,000,000	37
19	Santa Cruz, Bolivia	1,800,000	41
20	Curitiba, Brazil	1,773,718	42
21	Cordoba, Argentina	1,655,481	60
22	Recife, Brazil	1,488,920	39
23	Goiania, Brazil	1,437,366	44
24	Porto Alegre, Brazil	1,332,833	45
25	Barranquilla, Colombia	1,327,209	43
26	Montevideo, Uruguay	1,319,108	83
27	Belem, Brazil	1,303,403	39
28	Guarulhos, Brazil	1,291,771	41
29	Campinas, Brazil	1,139,047	43
30	Sao Luis, Brazil	1,037,775	39

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.