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
271	Cixi, China	1,829,488	36
272	Yaounde, Cameroon	1,817,524	37
273	Hamburg, Germany	1,812,709	123
274	Tijuana, Mexico	1,810,645	63
275	Bamako, Mali	1,809,106	45
276	Diyarbakir, Turkey	1,804,880	46
277	Santa Cruz, Bolivia	1,800,000	41
278	Bhopal, India	1,800,000	20
279	Manila, Philippines	1,780,148	49
280	Mersin, Turkey	1,773,852	58
281	Curitiba, Brazil	1,773,718	42
282	Montreal, Canada	1,762,949	104
283	Lusaka, Zambia	1,742,979	43
284	Depok, Indonesia	1,738,570	26
285	Hyderabad, Pakistan	1,732,698	23
286	Al Hillah, Iraq	1,729,666	41
287	Ghaziabad, India	1,729,000	23
288	Erbil, Iraq	1,713,461	51
289	Karaj, Iran	1,712,000	27
290	Palembang, Indonesia	1,708,413	33
291	Madurai, India	1,700,000	22
292	Manhattan, KS, United States	1,694,251	106
293	Budapest, Hungary	1,686,222	72
294	Changshu, China	1,677,050	36
295	Mecca, Saudi Arabia	1,675,368	53
296	Caloocan, Philippines	1,661,584	34
297	Conakry, Guinea	1,660,973	69
298	Barcelona, Spain	1,660,122	118
299	Cordoba, Argentina	1,655,481	60
300	Ecatepec, Mexico	1,645,352	60

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.