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
31	Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam	9,456,700	41
32	Handan, China	9,413,990	35
33	Hefei, China	9,369,881	38
34	Nanjing, China	9,314,685	42
35	Wenzhou, China	9,300,000	32
36	Weifang, China	9,277,200	29
37	Mexico City, Mexico	9,209,944	73
38	Jinan, China	9,202,432	37
39	Shenyang, China	9,199,601	34
40	Cairo, Egypt	9,120,350	26
41	Xuzhou, China	9,083,790	29
42	Changchun, China	9,066,906	37
43	Zhoukou, China	8,953,172	36
44	London, United Kingdom	8,908,083	198
45	Heze, China	8,795,939	36
46	Nanning, China	8,741,584	35
47	Hanoi, Vietnam	8,587,100	38
48	Jining, China	8,357,897	35
49	Fuzhou, China	8,291,268	40
50	Dongguan, China	8,254,100	38
51	Bogota, Colombia	8,181,047	48
52	Quanzhou, China	8,128,530	39
53	Tehran, Iran	8,000,000	35
54	Long Island, NY, United States	7,804,968	179
55	Nantong, China	7,726,635	31
56	Tangshan, China	7,717,983	36
57	Ningbo, China	7,605,689	42
58	Abidjan, Ivory Coast	7,567,409	68
59	Wuxi, China	7,462,135	38
60	Dalian, China	7,450,785	40

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.