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 Europe Asia North America South America Africa Oceania Insular Oceania Antarctica

Rank	City	Population	Living Index
1	Shanghai, China	24,870,895	60
2	Beijing (Pekin), China	21,893,095	54
3	Dhaka, Bangladesh	21,741,000	21
4	Chengdu, China	20,937,757	34
5	Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo	17,032,322	76
6	Delhi, India	16,787,941	27
7	Istanbul, Turkey	15,701,602	72
8	Karachi, Pakistan	14,910,352	24
9	Guangzhou (Canton), China	14,043,500	43
10	Tianjin, China	13,866,009	40
11	Tokyo, Japan	13,613,660	85
12	Suzhou, China	12,748,262	49
13	Moscow, Russia	12,700,000	83
14	Zhengzhou, China	12,600,574	36
15	Shenzhen, China	12,528,300	51
16	Wuhan, China	12,450,000	40
17	Mumbai (Bombay), India	12,442,373	38
18	Xi'an, China	12,183,280	35
19	Sao Paulo, Brazil	11,451,999	53
20	Baoding, China	11,437,217	29
21	Jakarta, Indonesia	11,337,563	42
22	Shijiazhuang, China	11,235,086	32
23	Lahore, Pakistan	11,126,285	24
24	Lagos, Nigeria	10,404,112	57
25	Hangzhou, China	10,360,000	45
26	Qingdao, Shandong, China	10,071,722	39
27	Harbin, China	10,009,854	44
28	Lima, Peru	9,989,369	49
29	Seoul, South Korea	9,509,458	88
30	Foshan, China	9,498,863	37

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update: February 24, 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.