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
91	Pingdingshan, China	5,000,000	36
92	Guilin, China	4,931,137	34
93	Shaoxing, China	4,912,239	34
94	Mianyang, Sichuan, China	4,868,243	34
95	Sydney, Australia	4,840,600	141
96	Zhangzhou, China	4,809,983	36
97	Huai'an, China	4,799,889	36
98	Jiujiang, China	4,728,778	38
99	Zibo, China	4,708,400	36
100	Chennai (Madras), India	4,681,087	24
101	Kaifeng, China	4,676,159	35
102	Chenzhou, China	4,667,134	36
103	Huizhou, China	4,597,002	35
104	Lucknow, India	4,588,455	20
105	Yangzhou, China	4,559,797	31
106	Alexandria, Egypt	4,546,231	22
107	Izmir, Turkey	4,493,242	63
108	Kolkata (Calcutta), India	4,486,679	22
109	Jiangmen, China	4,448,871	33
110	Johannesburg, South Africa	4,434,827	58
111	Lianyungang, China	4,393,914	34
112	Zhangjiakou, China	4,345,491	37
113	Guiyang, China	4,324,561	36
114	Anqing, China	4,165,284	33
115	Liuzhou, China	4,157,934	36
116	Yichang, China	4,059,686	36
117	Urumqi, China	4,054,369	26
118	Los Angeles, CA, United States	4,030,904	181
119	Zhuzhou, China	4,000,500	36
120	Amman, Jordan	4,000,000	57

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.