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
91	Maringa, Brazil	409,657	39
92	Villavicencio, Colombia	407,977	30
93	Anapolis, Brazil	398,869	37
94	Diadema, Brazil	393,237	40
95	Pasto, Colombia	392,930	39
96	San Juan de Pasto, Colombia	392,930	36
97	Carapicuiba, Brazil	386,984	36
98	Petrolina, Brazil	386,791	35
99	Bauru, Brazil	379,146	33
100	Caruaru, Brazil	377,911	29
101	Vitoria da Conquista, Brazil	370,879	39
102	Itaquaquecetuba, Brazil	369,275	39
103	Buenaventura, Colombia	365,607	39
104	Rio Branco, Brazil	364,756	37
105	Ponta Grossa, Brazil	358,371	34
106	Cariacica, Brazil	353,491	34
107	Olinda, Brazil	349,976	37
108	Praia Grande, Brazil	349,935	37
109	Antofagasta, Chile	348,517	47
110	Cascavel, Brazil	348,051	37
111	Canoas, Brazil	347,657	37
112	Corrientes, Argentina	346,634	51
113	Avellaneda, Argentina	342,677	48
114	Paulista, Brazil	342,167	33
115	Uberaba, Brazil	337,836	38
116	Vina del Mar, Chile	332,875	53
117	Sao Vicente, Brazil	329,911	38
118	Pelotas, Brazil	325,685	33
119	Vitoria, Brazil	322,869	41
120	Ciudad del Este, Paraguay	320,782	19

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.