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
121	Popayan, Colombia	318,059	38
122	Armenia, Colombia	316,926	39
123	Barueri, Brazil	316,473	45
124	Trujillo, Peru	314,939	39
125	Taubate, Brazil	310,739	36
126	Georgetown, Guyana	310,320	66
127	Suzano, Brazil	307,429	38
128	Palmas, Brazil	302,692	36
129	Bahia Blanca, Argentina	301,572	51
130	Quevedo, Ecuador	300,000	47
131	Limeira, Brazil	291,869	38
132	San Bernardo, Chile	290,912	57
133	Neuquen, Argentina	288,896	48
134	Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil	285,415	37
135	San Cristobal, Venezuela	282,830	33
136	Petropolis, Brazil	278,881	37
137	Sincelejo, Colombia	277,773	33
138	Punto Fijo, Venezuela	277,017	33
139	Cotia, Brazil	274,413	40
140	Imperatriz, Brazil	273,110	39
141	Puerto la Cruz, Venezuela	272,231	36
142	Santa Maria, Brazil	271,735	33
143	Santo Domingo, Ecuador	270,875	39
144	Gravataí, Brazil	265,074	38
145	Itajai, Brazil	264,054	36
146	Volta Redonda, Brazil	261,563	38
147	Governador Valadares, Brazil	257,171	31
148	Indaiatuba, Brazil	255,748	46
149	Sao Carlos, Brazil	254,857	41
150	Santiago del Estero, Argentina	252,192	48

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.