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

Rank	City	Population	Living Index
1	Shanghai, China	24,870,895	56
2	Beijing (Pekin), China	21,893,095	55
3	Dhaka, Bangladesh	21,741,000	20
4	Chengdu, China	20,937,757	35
5	Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo	17,032,322	80
6	Delhi, India	16,787,941	25
7	Istanbul, Turkey	15,701,602	70
8	Karachi, Pakistan	14,910,352	22
9	Guangzhou (Canton), China	14,043,500	43
10	Tianjin, China	13,866,009	41
11	Tokyo, Japan	13,613,660	79
12	Suzhou, China	12,748,262	40
13	Moscow, Russia	12,700,000	80
14	Zhengzhou, China	12,600,574	32
15	Shenzhen, China	12,528,300	52
16	Wuhan, China	12,450,000	38
17	Mumbai (Bombay), India	12,442,373	37
18	Xi'an, China	12,183,280	32
19	Sao Paulo, Brazil	11,451,999	55
20	Baoding, China	11,437,217	32
21	Jakarta, Indonesia	11,337,563	37
22	Shijiazhuang, China	11,235,086	31
23	Lahore, Pakistan	11,126,285	23
24	Lagos, Nigeria	10,404,112	44
25	Hangzhou, China	10,360,000	47
26	Qingdao, Shandong, China	10,071,722	35
27	Harbin, China	10,009,854	53
28	Lima, Peru	9,989,369	48
29	Seoul, South Korea	9,509,458	81
30	Foshan, China	9,498,863	36

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

Last update: September 8, 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.