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
61	Abidjan, Ivory Coast	7,567,409	$1,211	58
62	Wuxi, China	7,462,135	$751	36
63	Dalian, China	7,450,785	$922	44
64	Yancheng, China	7,260,240	$700	33
65	Baghdad, Iraq	7,216,040	$1,032	50
66	Surat, India	6,936,534	$808	39
67	Hyderabad, India	6,809,970	$505	24
68	Zunyi, China	6,606,675	$716	34
69	Ahmedabad, India	6,352,254	$531	25
70	Huanggang, China	6,291,000	$738	35
71	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	6,211,223	$1,185	57
72	Santiago, Chile	6,139,087	$1,144	55
73	Allahabad, India	5,959,798	$310	15
74	Jieyang, China	5,877,025	$689	33
75	Ankara, Turkey	5,864,049	$1,389	67
76	Changde, China	5,717,200	$658	31
77	Xinxiang, China	5,707,801	$654	31
78	Bangkok, Thailand	5,666,264	$1,107	53
79	Nanchong, China	5,607,565	$692	33
80	Saint Petersburg, Russia	5,597,763	$1,370	66
81	Singapore, Singapore	5,535,002	$3,594	171
82	Xiangyang, China	5,500,307	$713	34
83	Shantou, China	5,389,328	$692	33
84	Dar es Salaam, Tanzania	5,383,728	$701	34
85	Qiqihar, China	5,367,003	$711	34
86	Jinhua, China	5,361,572	$646	31
87	Yuncheng, China	5,300,000	$741	35
88	Changsha, China	5,289,000	$786	38
89	Changzhou, China	5,278,121	$743	36
90	Riyadh, Saudi Arabia	5,188,286	$1,738	82

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.