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
331	Timbo, Brazil	46,099	34
332	San Isidro, Argentina	45,190	45
333	Cerquilho, Brazil	44,695	36
334	Paso de los Libres, Argentina	43,251	50
335	Mercedes, Uruguay	41,975	67
336	Torres, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil	41,751	38
337	Puerto Varas, Chile	41,255	56
338	Gramado, Brazil	40,134	42
339	Armacao dos Buzios, Brazil	40,006	40
340	Concon, Chile	39,345	55
341	Minas, Uruguay	38,446	52
342	San Martin de los Andes, Argentina	36,913	48
343	San José, Uruguay	36,747	50
344	Durazno, Uruguay	34,372	48
345	Florida, Uruguay	33,640	72
346	Castro, Chile	33,417	54
347	Treinta y Tres, Uruguay	32,259	52
348	Galapagos Islands, Ecuador	32,000	45
349	Villarrica, Chile	31,780	55
350	Guararema, Brazil	31,236	35
351	Tigre, Argentina	31,106	44
352	Nueve de Julio, Argentina	30,000	57
353	Salinas, Ecuador	29,294	41
354	Ancud, Chile	28,162	54
355	Huancayo, Peru	27,552	24
356	Pipa, Brazil	25,000	39
357	Bahia de Caraquez, Ecuador	24,963	46
358	El Calafate, Argentina	22,844	48
359	Trinidad, Uruguay	21,429	52
360	Canelones, Uruguay	19,865	54

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.