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
61	Yancheng, China	7,260,240	36
62	Baghdad, Iraq	7,216,040	53
63	Surat, India	6,936,534	45
64	Hyderabad, India	6,809,970	26
65	Zunyi, China	6,606,675	36
66	Ahmedabad, India	6,352,254	26
67	Huanggang, China	6,291,000	36
68	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	6,211,223	48
69	Santiago, Chile	6,139,087	64
70	Allahabad, India	5,959,798	17
71	Jieyang, China	5,877,025	33
72	Ankara, Turkey	5,864,049	63
73	Changde, China	5,717,200	34
74	Xinxiang, China	5,707,801	35
75	Bangkok, Thailand	5,666,264	53
76	Nanchong, China	5,607,565	32
77	Saint Petersburg, Russia	5,597,763	64
78	Singapore, Singapore	5,535,002	179
79	Xiangyang, China	5,500,307	36
80	Shantou, China	5,389,328	35
81	Dar es Salaam, Tanzania	5,383,728	43
82	Qiqihar, China	5,367,003	36
83	Jinhua, China	5,361,572	32
84	Yuncheng, China	5,300,000	33
85	Changsha, China	5,289,000	38
86	Changzhou, China	5,278,121	35
87	Riyadh, Saudi Arabia	5,188,286	89
88	Yangon (Rangoon), Myanmar	5,160,512	40
89	Nanchang, China	5,042,566	35
90	Melbourne, Australia	5,031,195	123

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.