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
211	Ferraz de Vasconcelos, Brazil	179,198	39
212	Ilheus, Brazil	178,649	38
213	Comodoro Rivadavia, Argentina	177,038	54
214	Riobamba, Ecuador	170,000	26
215	Puerto Montt, Chile	169,736	50
216	Porto Seguro, Brazil	168,326	35
217	Itu, Brazil	168,240	33
218	Angra dos Reis, Brazil	167,434	39
219	Sao Caetano do Sul, Brazil	165,655	47
220	Pindamonhangaba, Brazil	165,428	39
221	Ambato, Ecuador	165,185	27
222	Francisco Morato, Brazil	165,139	41
223	Teresopolis, Brazil	165,123	30
224	Lages, Brazil	164,981	41
225	Chillan, Chile	164,270	48
226	Catamarca, Argentina	160,058	54
227	Barreiras, Brazil	159,734	39
228	Patos de Minas, Brazil	159,235	39
229	Atibaia, Brazil	158,647	36
230	Piura, Peru	158,495	33
231	Abaetetuba, Brazil	158,188	39
232	Itapetininga, Brazil	157,790	35
233	Calama, Chile	157,575	50
234	Rio das Ostras, Brazil	156,491	32
235	Pouso Alegre, Brazil	152,217	35
236	Valdivia, Chile	150,048	50
237	Concordia, Argentina	149,450	54
238	Talcahuano, Chile	147,831	50
239	Osorno, Chile	147,666	51
240	Botucatu, Brazil	145,155	31

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.