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	$1,100	52
32	Kumasi, Ghana	1,517,000	$492	24
33	Kampala, Uganda	1,516,210	$679	32
34	Buea, Cameroon	1,325,000	$752	36
35	Mombasa, Kenya	1,300,000	$716	34
36	Antananarivo, Madagascar	1,274,225	$640	31
37	Soweto, South Africa	1,270,000	$1,099	52
38	Maputo, Mozambique	1,244,227	$1,092	52
39	Fes, Morocco	1,167,842	$659	32
40	Kisumu, Kenya	1,155,574	$642	31
41	Benin, Nigeria	1,147,188	$445	21
42	Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo	1,139,064	$1,231	59
43	Kigali, Rwanda	1,132,686	$895	43
44	N'Djamena, Chad	1,092,066	$1,082	52
45	Port Elizabeth, South Africa	1,050,000	$1,209	58
46	Ogbomosho, Nigeria	1,032,000	$481	23
47	Aba, Nigeria	1,020,900	$683	33
48	Shubra Al Khaymah, Egypt	1,016,722	$430	21
49	Monrovia, Liberia	1,010,970	$1,279	62
50	Marrakech, Morocco	1,002,697	$968	46
51	Blantyre, Malawi	994,500	$598	29
52	Nouakchott, Mauritania	958,399	$805	39
53	Sfax, Tunisia	955,421	$615	29
54	Tangier, Morocco	947,952	$1,052	50
55	Jos, Nigeria	900,000	$536	26
56	Sale, Morocco	890,403	$637	30
57	Abeokuta, Nigeria	888,924	$1,137	54
58	Ikeja, Nigeria	861,300	$2,387	116
59	Libreville, Gabon	850,000	$1,511	72
60	Bouake, Ivory Coast	832,371	$744	36

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

Last update: November 10, 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.