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	Vitoria, Brazil	322,869	48
122	Ciudad del Este, Paraguay	320,782	37
123	Popayan, Colombia	318,059	62
124	Armenia, Colombia	316,926	55
125	Barueri, Brazil	316,473	50
126	Trujillo, Peru	314,939	41
127	Taubate, Brazil	310,739	37
128	Georgetown, Guyana	310,320	75
129	Suzano, Brazil	307,429	38
130	Palmas, Brazil	302,692	37
131	Bahia Blanca, Argentina	301,572	52
132	Quevedo, Ecuador	300,000	38
133	Limeira, Brazil	291,869	38
134	San Bernardo, Chile	290,912	50
135	Neuquen, Argentina	288,896	54
136	Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil	285,415	40
137	San Cristobal, Venezuela	282,830	32
138	Petropolis, Brazil	278,881	45
139	Sincelejo, Colombia	277,773	62
140	Punto Fijo, Venezuela	277,017	33
141	Cotia, Brazil	274,413	41
142	Imperatriz, Brazil	273,110	39
143	Puerto la Cruz, Venezuela	272,231	34
144	Santa Maria, Brazil	271,735	33
145	Santo Domingo, Ecuador	270,875	30
146	Gravataí, Brazil	265,074	36
147	Itajai, Brazil	264,054	45
148	Volta Redonda, Brazil	261,563	36
149	Governador Valadares, Brazil	257,171	30
150	Indaiatuba, Brazil	255,748	46

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.