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
241	Taourirt, Morocco	103,398	$694	33
242	Vereeniging, South Africa	100,000	$943	45
243	Lira, Uganda	99,059	$389	19
244	Nyeri, Kenya	98,908	$502	24
245	Worcester, South Africa	97,098	$682	33
246	Beau Bassin-Rose Hill, Mauritius	96,000	$969	47
247	Vanderbijlpark, South Africa	95,840	$1,026	49
248	Oued Zem, Morocco	95,267	$745	36
249	Mbabane, Eswatini	94,874	$756	36
250	Masindi, Uganda	94,622	$394	19
251	Kwekwe, Zimbabwe	93,072	$754	36
252	Sidi Slimane, Morocco	92,989	$702	33
253	La Marsa, Tunisia	92,987	$775	37
254	El Bayadh, Algeria	91,632	$521	25
255	Djerba, Tunisia	89,228	$445	21
256	Bouira, Algeria	88,801	$499	24
257	Ben Arous, Tunisia	88,322	$706	34
258	Midrand, South Africa	87,387	$1,100	52
259	Middelburg, South Africa	87,348	$1,099	52
260	Ho, Ghana	83,715	$682	33
261	Kasserine, Tunisia	83,534	$597	28
262	Sabratha, Libya	83,398	$404	19
263	Al Kharijah, Egypt	83,108	$407	19
264	Thika, Kenya	83,000	$516	25
265	Quatre Bornes, Mauritius	81,773	$808	39
266	Curepipe, Mauritius	81,600	$1,000	47
267	Taroudant, Morocco	80,149	$699	34
268	Sheikh Zayed, Egypt	80,000	$444	21
269	Brackenfell, South Africa	80,000	$1,026	49
270	Mahdia, Tunisia	79,545	$562	27

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.