unaffordable

American  

[uhn-uh-fawrd-uh-buhl] / ʌn əˈfɔrd ə bəl /

adjective

1. too high in price to afford.

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Explanation

If something is unaffordable, it's too expensive. A house that costs millions of dollars is unaffordable for almost everyone. This adjective often describes things that cost too much money for the average person, like unaffordable rents in a particular city or unaffordable health care. When you can afford something, it's within financial reach; you can manage to purchase it. Unaffordable things are priced too high for your budget or bank account, like those ultra-rare sneakers you covet.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

unaffordable

Infant tuition for two had already been unaffordable, so the family placed the 1-year-olds with a nanny instead, at $7,000 a month.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026

Housing has become scarce and unaffordable in some cities, with more apartments being used as pricey short-term vacation rentals.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026

"A lot of my friends have felt disconnected the entire tournament due to the tickets being unaffordable," added Ray.

From Barron's ● Jul. 19, 2026

Meanwhile, low-income workers in communities surrounding data centers reported that the new construction was making housing unaffordable.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026

The January price liberalization and a blossoming of private vendors filled shelves across the country with previously scarce food items and consumer goods, but wages lagged behind inflation, making such goods unaffordable for many consumers.

From The 1993 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency