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

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Rank	City	Population	Price per month for a nomad	Living Index
31	Foshan, China	9,498,863	$787	38
32	Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam	9,456,700	$864	41
33	Handan, China	9,413,990	$643	32
34	Hefei, China	9,369,881	$767	37
35	Nanjing, China	9,314,685	$832	40
36	Wenzhou, China	9,300,000	$622	30
37	Weifang, China	9,277,200	$590	28
38	Mexico City, Mexico	9,209,944	$1,683	81
39	Jinan, China	9,202,432	$634	30
40	Shenyang, China	9,199,601	$847	41
41	Cairo, Egypt	9,120,350	$639	31
42	Xuzhou, China	9,083,790	$602	29
43	Changchun, China	9,066,906	$901	43
44	Zhoukou, China	8,953,172	$745	36
45	London, United Kingdom	8,908,083	$4,118	196
46	New York, NY, United States	8,804,190	$4,844	233
47	Heze, China	8,795,939	$697	33
48	Nanning, China	8,741,584	$733	35
49	Hanoi, Vietnam	8,587,100	$803	39
50	Bangalore, India	8,495,492	$570	27
51	Jining, China	8,357,897	$672	32
52	Fuzhou, China	8,291,268	$765	37
53	Dongguan, China	8,254,100	$820	39
54	Bogota, Colombia	8,181,047	$1,383	66
55	Quanzhou, China	8,128,530	$803	39
56	Tehran, Iran	8,000,000	$612	29
57	Long Island, NY, United States	7,804,968	$4,326	206
58	Nantong, China	7,726,635	$748	36
59	Tangshan, China	7,717,983	$718	34
60	Ningbo, China	7,605,689	$644	31

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

Last update: November 10, 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.