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	Edenvale, South Africa	60,000	66
272	Lakhdaria, Algeria	59,746	24
273	Manouba, Tunisia	58,792	31
274	Kelibia, Tunisia	58,491	29
275	Richards Bay, South Africa	57,387	48
276	Beja, Tunisia	57,000	29
277	Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe	56,794	29
278	Tataouine, Tunisia	56,000	21
279	Msaken, Tunisia	56,000	31
280	Somerset West, South Africa	55,166	55
281	Bagamoyo, Tanzania	55,000	18
282	Fort Portal, Uganda	54,275	19
283	Sao Tome, Sao Tome And Principe	53,300	58
284	Marondera, Zimbabwe	52,283	35
285	Knysna, South Africa	51,078	56
286	Isiolo, Kenya	45,989	24
287	Hassi Messaoud, Algeria	45,147	25
288	Manakara, Madagascar	44,237	19
289	Potchefstroom, South Africa	43,448	47
290	Boumerdes, Algeria	41,685	24
291	Embu, Kenya	41,092	23
292	Ambositra, Madagascar	41,078	23
293	Bindura, Zimbabwe	40,233	28
294	Secunda, South Africa	40,198	50
295	Durbanville, South Africa	40,000	54
296	Narok, Kenya	40,000	28
297	Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt	38,478	35
298	Tozeur, Tunisia	37,365	29
299	Tlokweng, Botswana	35,982	26
300	Heidelberg, GP, South Africa	35,000	52

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.