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	Living Index
61	Yancheng, China	7,260,240	32
62	Baghdad, Iraq	7,216,040	52
63	Surat, India	6,936,534	37
64	Hyderabad, India	6,809,970	22
65	Zunyi, China	6,606,675	33
66	Ahmedabad, India	6,352,254	23
67	Huanggang, China	6,291,000	33
68	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	6,211,223	54
69	Santiago, Chile	6,139,087	58
70	Allahabad, India	5,959,798	14
71	Jieyang, China	5,877,025	31
72	Ankara, Turkey	5,864,049	62
73	Changde, China	5,717,200	30
74	Xinxiang, China	5,707,801	29
75	Bangkok, Thailand	5,666,264	53
76	Nanchong, China	5,607,565	31
77	Saint Petersburg, Russia	5,597,763	59
78	Singapore, Singapore	5,535,002	157
79	Xiangyang, China	5,500,307	33
80	Shantou, China	5,389,328	31
81	Dar es Salaam, Tanzania	5,383,728	33
82	Qiqihar, China	5,367,003	33
83	Jinhua, China	5,361,572	29
84	Yuncheng, China	5,300,000	32
85	Changsha, China	5,289,000	36
86	Changzhou, China	5,278,121	34
87	Riyadh, Saudi Arabia	5,188,286	81
88	Yangon (Rangoon), Myanmar	5,160,512	35
89	Nanchang, China	5,042,566	30
90	Melbourne, Australia	5,031,195	132

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

Last update: August 25, 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.