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
121	Chuzhou, China	3,987,054	34
122	Yokohama, Japan	3,777,491	71
123	Berlin, Germany	3,769,962	123
124	Binzhou, China	3,748,500	39
125	Cape Town, South Africa	3,740,026	64
126	Yulin, China	3,700,000	36
127	Bulacan, Philippines	3,700,000	35
128	Lanzhou, China	3,688,400	33
129	Wuhu, China	3,644,420	37
130	Jilin, China	3,623,713	36
131	Busan, South Korea	3,586,079	75
132	Kunming, Yunnan, China	3,583,000	41
133	Jiaxing, China	3,563,700	33
134	Jiaozuo, China	3,539,860	34
135	Xiamen, China	3,531,000	39
136	Taiyuan, China	3,525,300	31
137	Addis Ababa, Ethiopia	3,500,000	70
138	Guayaquil, Ecuador	3,500,000	53
139	Hohhot, China	3,446,100	35
140	Durban, South Africa	3,442,361	53
141	Jeddah, Saudi Arabia	3,430,697	61
142	Hanzhong, China	3,416,196	33
143	Algiers, Algeria	3,415,811	33
144	Madrid, Spain	3,332,035	113
145	Datong, China	3,318,057	36
146	Bengbu, China	3,296,408	33
147	Kabul, Afghanistan	3,289,000	21
148	Caracas, Venezuela	3,274,000	59
149	Indore, India	3,272,335	21
150	Pyongyang, North Korea	3,255,288	12

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.