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 Africa Northern Africa Western Africa Middle Africa Eastern Africa Southern Africa

Rank	City	Population	Living Index
271	Somerset West, South Africa	55,166	50
272	Bagamoyo, Tanzania	55,000	22
273	Fort Portal, Uganda	54,275	20
274	Sao Tome, Sao Tome And Principe	53,300	54
275	Marondera, Zimbabwe	52,283	40
276	Knysna, South Africa	51,078	55
277	Isiolo, Kenya	45,989	25
278	Hassi Messaoud, Algeria	45,147	33
279	Manakara, Madagascar	44,237	19
280	Potchefstroom, South Africa	43,448	45
281	Boumerdes, Algeria	41,685	31
282	Embu, Kenya	41,092	25
283	Bindura, Zimbabwe	40,233	29
284	Secunda, South Africa	40,198	45
285	Durbanville, South Africa	40,000	52
286	Narok, Kenya	40,000	28
287	Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt	38,478	35
288	Tozeur, Tunisia	37,365	30
289	Tlokweng, Botswana	35,982	31
290	Heidelberg, GP, South Africa	35,000	51
291	Azazga, Algeria	34,683	30
292	Redcliff, Zimbabwe	32,346	31
293	Nanyuki, Kenya	32,000	31
294	Migori, Kenya	31,644	25
295	Banjul, Gambia	31,356	30
296	Ain Taoujdate, Morocco	28,288	34
297	Jeffreys Bay, South Africa	27,107	52
298	Victoria, Seychelles	26,450	98
299	Palapye, Botswana	26,000	31
300	Louis Trichardt, South Africa	25,360	50

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.