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
31	Rosario, Argentina	1,029,619	42
32	Cartagena, Colombia	1,028,736	54
33	Mendoza, Argentina	937,154	55
34	Campo Grande, Brazil	898,100	37
35	Teresina, Brazil	866,300	31
36	Cochabamba, Bolivia	856,198	39
37	Joao Pessoa, Brazil	833,932	43
38	Sao Bernardo do Campo, Brazil	810,729	40
39	Duque de Caxias, Brazil	808,161	39
40	Nova Iguacu, Brazil	785,867	36
41	Cucuta, Colombia	777,106	36
42	Natal, Brazil	751,300	34
43	Santo Andre, Brazil	748,919	39
44	Asuncion, Paraguay	742,023	38
45	Osasco, Brazil	728,615	43
46	Sorocaba, Brazil	723,682	35
47	La Paz, Bolivia	715,900	42
48	Uberlandia, Brazil	713,224	40
49	Ribeirao Preto, Brazil	698,642	38
50	Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil	697,054	44
51	Cuiaba, Brazil	650,877	41
52	Jaboatão dos Guararapes, Brazil	644,037	36
53	Contagem, Brazil	621,863	34
54	Joinville, Brazil	616,317	40
55	Lomas de Zamora, Argentina	616,279	48
56	Feira de Santana, Brazil	616,272	30
57	Aracaju, Brazil	602,757	32
58	Mar del Plata, Argentina	593,337	42
59	Soledad, Colombia	582,156	49
60	Bucaramanga, Colombia	581,130	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.