What does unaffordable mean?
Unaffordable means that something costs more than a person or group can reasonably pay. It is commonly used for housing, food, education, transport, and other basic needs, as well as for luxury goods and large personal expenses. The adjective can also describe a price as beyond a particular budget, rather than absolutely impossible for anyone. In everyday use, it emphasizes the strain or exclusion created by cost: an unaffordable rent may force someone to move, while unaffordable medicine may prevent treatment. Although it can sound slightly more formal than the phrase "too expensive," it is widely understood in British and American English. The word is especially useful when discussing affordability as a social issue because it connects a price with people’s practical ability to pay, not simply with a large monetary amount.
adjectiveToo expensive to afford; beyond the financial means of a person or group.
- Too expensive for a person or group to afford, especially when the cost exceeds a practical budget or creates financial hardship.
"The city is facing a housing crisis because so many apartments are unaffordable."
"Rising rents have made the area unaffordable for many families."
"The restoration project was abandoned because its estimated cost had become unaffordable."
Affordable describes what a budget can handle; unaffordable delivers the blunt verdict: out of reach.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does unaffordable come from?
Unaffordable is an English formation created by adding the productive prefix un- to the adjective affordable. The negative prefix expresses the opposite meaning: not affordable, or too costly to afford. Its related forms afford, affordable, and affordability belong to the same English word family and share the same basic sense of being able to provide for a cost or need.
Related word forms
How unaffordable is actually used
Neutral in register and common in both British and American English. It is often more emphatic than "too expensive" and can carry a social implication about access, income, or financial hardship.
Easily confused with unaffordable
Unaffordable means too expensive to pay for, whereas unavailable means not available for purchase, use, or access.