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	Price per month for a nomad	Living Index
211	Portoviejo, Ecuador	180,641	$879	42
212	Loja, Ecuador	180,617	$675	33
213	La Rioja, Argentina	180,219	$1,274	61
214	Ferraz de Vasconcelos, Brazil	179,198	$836	40
215	Ilheus, Brazil	178,649	$782	38
216	Comodoro Rivadavia, Argentina	177,038	$1,260	61
217	Daule, Ecuador	173,684	$899	43
218	Riobamba, Ecuador	170,000	$557	27
219	Florencia, Colombia	168,346	$1,393	66
220	Porto Seguro, Brazil	168,326	$724	35
221	Itu, Brazil	168,240	$716	34
222	Angra dos Reis, Brazil	167,434	$828	40
223	Cabudare, Venezuela	166,087	$621	30
224	Ocumare del Tuy, Venezuela	166,072	$562	27
225	Sao Caetano do Sul, Brazil	165,655	$954	46
226	Pindamonhangaba, Brazil	165,428	$831	40
227	Ambato, Ecuador	165,185	$603	29
228	Francisco Morato, Brazil	165,139	$877	42
229	Teresopolis, Brazil	165,123	$614	29
230	Lages, Brazil	164,981	$874	42
231	Chillan, Chile	164,270	$796	38
232	Catamarca, Argentina	160,058	$1,261	61
233	Barreiras, Brazil	159,734	$829	39
234	Patos de Minas, Brazil	159,235	$825	39
235	Atibaia, Brazil	158,647	$758	36
236	Piura, Peru	158,495	$698	33
237	Abaetetuba, Brazil	158,188	$828	39
238	Itapetininga, Brazil	157,790	$744	36
239	Calama, Chile	157,575	$593	28
240	Rio das Ostras, Brazil	156,491	$669	32

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update: November 3, 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.