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	54
2	Lima, Peru	9,989,369	47
3	Bogota, Colombia	8,181,047	65
4	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	6,211,223	54
5	Santiago, Chile	6,139,087	58
6	Guayaquil, Ecuador	3,500,000	52
7	Caracas, Venezuela	3,274,000	61
8	Buenos Aires, Argentina	2,891,082	76
9	Brasilia, Brazil	2,817,381	44
10	Quito, Ecuador	2,671,191	44
11	Cali, Colombia	2,568,609	50
12	Medellin, Colombia	2,486,723	78
13	Fortaleza, Brazil	2,428,708	41
14	Salvador, Brazil	2,417,678	43
15	Belo Horizonte, Brazil	2,315,560	43
16	Valencia, Venezuela	2,299,026	38
17	Manaus, Brazil	2,063,689	40
18	Maracaibo, Venezuela	2,000,000	36
19	Santa Cruz, Bolivia	1,800,000	27
20	Curitiba, Brazil	1,773,718	46
21	Cordoba, Argentina	1,655,481	63
22	Recife, Brazil	1,488,920	41
23	Goiania, Brazil	1,437,366	39
24	Porto Alegre, Brazil	1,332,833	44
25	Barranquilla, Colombia	1,327,209	70
26	Montevideo, Uruguay	1,319,108	82
27	Belem, Brazil	1,303,403	42
28	Guarulhos, Brazil	1,291,771	42
29	Campinas, Brazil	1,139,047	45
30	Sao Luis, Brazil	1,037,775	39

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update: August 25, 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.