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	Imbituba, Brazil	52,579	37
332	Louveira, Brazil	51,847	40
333	Osório, Brazil	47,396	39
334	Campos do Jordão, Brazil	46,974	65
335	Timbo, Brazil	46,099	34
336	San Isidro, Argentina	45,190	49
337	Cerquilho, Brazil	44,695	36
338	Paso de los Libres, Argentina	43,251	54
339	Mercedes, Uruguay	41,975	61
340	Torres, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil	41,751	39
341	Puerto Varas, Chile	41,255	52
342	Gramado, Brazil	40,134	41
343	Armacao dos Buzios, Brazil	40,006	40
344	Concon, Chile	39,345	52
345	Minas, Uruguay	38,446	49
346	San Martin de los Andes, Argentina	36,913	54
347	San José, Uruguay	36,747	43
348	Durazno, Uruguay	34,372	43
349	Florida, Uruguay	33,640	60
350	Castro, Chile	33,417	50
351	Treinta y Tres, Uruguay	32,259	48
352	Galapagos Islands, Ecuador	32,000	41
353	Villarrica, Chile	31,780	51
354	Guararema, Brazil	31,236	34
355	Tigre, Argentina	31,106	49
356	Nueve de Julio, Argentina	30,000	58
357	Salinas, Ecuador	29,294	36
358	Ancud, Chile	28,162	50
359	Huancayo, Peru	27,552	23
360	Colonia, Uruguay	26,231	69

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.