Cheapest Places to Live in North America
North America has cheap cities. No, really. They exist.
Merida
Mexico$601/mo rent. Cheap by North American standards. Which says more about North America.
Atenas
Costa Rica$650/mo rent. Cheap by North American standards. Which says more about North America.
Cancun
Mexico$737/mo rent. Cheap by North American standards. Which says more about North America.
Ajijic
Mexico$879/mo rent. Cheap by North American standards. Which says more about North America.
Tamarindo
Costa Rica$950/mo rent. Cheap by North American standards. Which says more about North America.
San Jose
Costa Rica$998/mo rent. Cheap by North American standards. Which says more about North America.
Tulum
Mexico$1045/mo. "Cheap for North America" is still more than most of the planet.
Playa del Carmen
Mexico$1068/mo. "Cheap for North America" is still more than most of the planet.
San Miguel de Allende
Mexico$1106/mo. "Cheap for North America" is still more than most of the planet.
Mexico City
Mexico$1173/mo. "Cheap for North America" is still more than most of the planet.
Montreal
Canada$1309/mo. "Cheap for North America" is still more than most of the planet.
Tucson
United States$1322/mo. "Cheap for North America" is still more than most of the planet.
Puerto Vallarta
Mexico$1435/mo. "Cheap for North America" is still more than most of the planet.
Las Vegas
United States$1587/mo. "Cheap for North America" is still more than most of the planet.
Toronto
Canada$1659/mo. "Cheap for North America" is still more than most of the planet.
Phoenix
United States$1787/mo. "Cheap for North America" is still more than most of the planet.
Vancouver
Canada$1925/mo. "Cheap for North America" is still more than most of the planet.
Chicago
United States$2388/mo. "Cheap for North America" is still more than most of the planet.
Seattle
United States$2442/mo. "Cheap for North America" is still more than most of the planet.
Honolulu
United States$2703/mo. "Cheap for North America" is still more than most of the planet.
Los Angeles
United States$2839/mo. "Cheap for North America" is still more than most of the planet.
Miami
United States$3010/mo. "Cheap for North America" is still more than most of the planet.
San Francisco
United States$3413/mo. "Cheap for North America" is still more than most of the planet.
New York
United States$4281/mo. "Cheap for North America" is still more than most of the planet.
Data: Numbeo · UNODC · EIU · World Bank · EF EPI · Ookla Speedtest
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest city to live in North America in 2026?▾
Merida (Mexico) has the lowest city-centre rent in our database at $601/month. That's a 1-bedroom — not a closet with a hot plate.
Top 3 cheapest cities in North America?▾
#1 Merida ($601/mo), #2 Atenas ($650/mo), #3 Cancun ($737/mo). All real rent data from Numbeo, not guesswork.
Which cheap city is actually safe?▾
Honolulu (United States) has a homicide rate of 1.5 per 100k and rent around $2703/mo. Safe and cheap — the unicorn combination.
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