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
451	Chandigarh, India	1,028,667	23
452	Perm, Russia	1,026,908	54
453	Niamey, Niger	1,026,848	68
454	Pekanbaru, Indonesia	1,020,308	34
455	Shubra Al Khaymah, Egypt	1,016,722	23
456	Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan	1,012,500	44
457	Monrovia, Liberia	1,010,970	70
458	Edmonton, Canada	1,010,899	111
459	Raipur, India	1,010,087	26
460	Islamabad, Pakistan	1,009,832	27
461	Odesa, Ukraine	1,008,852	37
462	Volgograd, Russia	1,004,763	46
463	Yongin, South Korea	1,004,081	67
464	Marrakech, Morocco	1,002,697	45
465	Kota, India	1,001,400	19
466	Quetta, Pakistan	1,001,205	18
467	Santo Domingo Este, Dominican Republic	1,000,230	39
468	Padang, Indonesia	1,000,096	34
469	Guwahati, India	1,000,000	19
470	Ottawa, Canada	1,000,000	126
471	Jamnagar, India	1,000,000	20
472	Tripoli, Lebanon	999,000	43
473	Fort Worth, TX, United States	996,756	135
474	Blantyre, Malawi	994,500	38
475	Stockholm, Sweden	984,748	127
476	Esenyurt, Turkey	978,007	54
477	Merida, Mexico	975,000	61
478	Kathmandu, Nepal	975,000	25
479	Chiba, Japan	974,951	66
480	Austin, MN, United States	974,447	122

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.