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
241	Franco da Rocha, Brazil	144,849	41
242	Los Ángeles, Chile	143,023	44
243	Balneario Camboriu, Brazil	139,155	42
244	Varginha, Brazil	136,467	33
245	Cachoeirinha, Brazil	136,258	38
246	Bariloche, Argentina	135,755	75
247	Cartago, Colombia	135,365	57
248	Caraguatatuba, Brazil	134,873	37
249	Salto, Brazil	134,319	37
250	Santa Cruz do Sul, Brazil	133,246	41
251	Três Lagoas, Brazil	132,152	38
252	Crato, Brazil	131,050	39
253	Araras, Brazil	130,866	38
254	Rionegro, Colombia	130,000	64
255	Encarnacion, Paraguay	127,600	37
256	Duitama, Colombia	126,670	61
257	Valinhos, Brazil	126,373	40
258	Barbacena, Brazil	125,317	33
259	Curico, Chile	125,275	46
260	Villa Alemana, Chile	125,140	45
261	Facatativá, Colombia	124,779	61
262	Tatuí, Brazil	123,942	39
263	Punta Arenas, Chile	123,403	62
264	Barretos, Brazil	122,485	37
265	San Rafael, Argentina	118,850	59
266	Bagé, Brazil	117,938	39
267	Santa Rosa, Argentina	116,083	54
268	Catanduva, Brazil	115,791	40
269	Paulo Afonso, Brazil	112,870	39
270	Coronel, Chile	112,057	50

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.