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	43
32	Cartagena, Colombia	1,028,736	54
33	Mendoza, Argentina	937,154	61
34	Campo Grande, Brazil	898,100	37
35	Teresina, Brazil	866,300	34
36	Cochabamba, Bolivia	856,198	21
37	Joao Pessoa, Brazil	833,932	47
38	Sao Bernardo do Campo, Brazil	810,729	39
39	Duque de Caxias, Brazil	808,161	36
40	Nova Iguacu, Brazil	785,867	33
41	Cucuta, Colombia	777,106	63
42	Natal, Brazil	751,300	32
43	Santo Andre, Brazil	748,919	34
44	Asuncion, Paraguay	742,023	47
45	Osasco, Brazil	728,615	45
46	Sorocaba, Brazil	723,682	40
47	La Paz, Bolivia	715,900	24
48	Uberlandia, Brazil	713,224	39
49	Ribeirao Preto, Brazil	698,642	38
50	Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil	697,054	46
51	Cuiaba, Brazil	650,877	45
52	Jaboatão dos Guararapes, Brazil	644,037	38
53	Contagem, Brazil	621,863	35
54	Joinville, Brazil	616,317	42
55	Lomas de Zamora, Argentina	616,279	52
56	Feira de Santana, Brazil	616,272	28
57	Aracaju, Brazil	602,757	33
58	Mar del Plata, Argentina	593,337	42
59	Soledad, Colombia	582,156	61
60	Bucaramanga, Colombia	581,130	53

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.