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	Price per month for a nomad	Living Index
31	Foshan, China	9,498,863	$786	37
32	Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam	9,456,700	$850	41
33	Handan, China	9,413,990	$673	32
34	Hefei, China	9,369,881	$769	37
35	Nanjing, China	9,314,685	$844	40
36	Wenzhou, China	9,300,000	$624	30
37	Weifang, China	9,277,200	$567	27
38	Mexico City, Mexico	9,209,944	$1,674	80
39	Jinan, China	9,202,432	$645	31
40	Shenyang, China	9,199,601	$706	34
41	Cairo, Egypt	9,120,350	$614	29
42	Xuzhou, China	9,083,790	$603	29
43	Changchun, China	9,066,906	$915	44
44	Zhoukou, China	8,953,172	$753	36
45	London, United Kingdom	8,908,083	$4,048	196
46	New York, NY, United States	8,804,190	$4,906	234
47	Heze, China	8,795,939	$697	33
48	Nanning, China	8,741,584	$743	35
49	Hanoi, Vietnam	8,587,100	$807	38
50	Bangalore, India	8,495,492	$561	27
51	Jining, China	8,357,897	$675	32
52	Fuzhou, China	8,291,268	$769	37
53	Dongguan, China	8,254,100	$827	39
54	Bogota, Colombia	8,181,047	$1,387	67
55	Quanzhou, China	8,128,530	$812	39
56	Tehran, Iran	8,000,000	$617	29
57	Long Island, NY, United States	7,804,968	$4,291	204
58	Nantong, China	7,726,635	$749	36
59	Tangshan, China	7,717,983	$711	34
60	Ningbo, China	7,605,689	$692	33

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

Last update: November 3, 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.