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
91	Pingdingshan, China	5,000,000	32
92	Guilin, China	4,931,137	30
93	Shaoxing, China	4,912,239	34
94	Mianyang, Sichuan, China	4,868,243	29
95	Sydney, Australia	4,840,600	146
96	Zhangzhou, China	4,809,983	33
97	Huai'an, China	4,799,889	33
98	Jiujiang, China	4,728,778	35
99	Zibo, China	4,708,400	34
100	Chennai (Madras), India	4,681,087	19
101	Kaifeng, China	4,676,159	23
102	Chenzhou, China	4,667,134	34
103	Huizhou, China	4,597,002	35
104	Lucknow, India	4,588,455	17
105	Yangzhou, China	4,559,797	31
106	Alexandria, Egypt	4,546,231	21
107	Izmir, Turkey	4,493,242	57
108	Kolkata (Calcutta), India	4,486,679	19
109	Jiangmen, China	4,448,871	24
110	Johannesburg, South Africa	4,434,827	67
111	Lianyungang, China	4,393,914	34
112	Zhangjiakou, China	4,345,491	35
113	Guiyang, China	4,324,561	33
114	Anqing, China	4,165,284	29
115	Liuzhou, China	4,157,934	35
116	Yichang, China	4,059,686	33
117	Urumqi, China	4,054,369	28
118	Los Angeles, CA, United States	4,030,904	186
119	Zhuzhou, China	4,000,500	33
120	Amman, Jordan	4,000,000	54

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.