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	Price per month for a nomad	Living Index
31	Harare, Zimbabwe	1,606,000	$1,076	52
32	Kumasi, Ghana	1,517,000	$493	24
33	Kampala, Uganda	1,516,210	$643	31
34	Buea, Cameroon	1,325,000	$744	36
35	Mombasa, Kenya	1,300,000	$721	34
36	Antananarivo, Madagascar	1,274,225	$649	31
37	Soweto, South Africa	1,270,000	$1,115	52
38	Maputo, Mozambique	1,244,227	$1,082	52
39	Fes, Morocco	1,167,842	$664	32
40	Kisumu, Kenya	1,155,574	$646	31
41	Benin, Nigeria	1,147,188	$446	21
42	Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo	1,139,064	$1,221	59
43	Kigali, Rwanda	1,132,686	$877	42
44	N'Djamena, Chad	1,092,066	$1,086	52
45	Port Elizabeth, South Africa	1,050,000	$1,182	57
46	Ogbomosho, Nigeria	1,032,000	$483	23
47	Niamey, Niger	1,026,848	$1,344	64
48	Shubra Al Khaymah, Egypt	1,016,722	$421	20
49	Monrovia, Liberia	1,010,970	$1,282	61
50	Marrakech, Morocco	1,002,697	$938	45
51	Blantyre, Malawi	994,500	$601	29
52	Nouakchott, Mauritania	958,399	$805	39
53	Sfax, Tunisia	955,421	$628	30
54	Tangier, Morocco	947,952	$1,044	50
55	Jos, Nigeria	900,000	$536	26
56	Sale, Morocco	890,403	$625	30
57	Abeokuta, Nigeria	888,924	$1,115	54
58	Ikeja, Nigeria	861,300	$2,409	116
59	Libreville, Gabon	850,000	$1,499	72
60	Bouake, Ivory Coast	832,371	$749	36

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update: November 3, 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.