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
31	Port Louis, Mauritius	147,688	54
32	Xai-Xai, Mozambique	116,343	35
33	Machakos, Kenya	114,109	23
34	Moroni, Comoros	111,329	75
35	Lira, Uganda	99,059	22
36	Nyeri, Kenya	98,908	26
37	Beau Bassin-Rose Hill, Mauritius	96,000	53
38	Masindi, Uganda	94,622	22
39	Saint-Pierre, Reunion	84,077	91
40	Thika, Kenya	83,000	24
41	Quatre Bornes, Mauritius	81,773	43
42	Curepipe, Mauritius	81,600	47
43	Mahe, Seychelles	78,539	91
44	Jinja, Uganda	72,931	20
45	Entebbe, Uganda	69,958	29
46	Bagamoyo, Tanzania	55,000	22
47	Fort Portal, Uganda	54,275	20
48	Isiolo, Kenya	45,989	25
49	Manakara, Madagascar	44,237	19
50	Embu, Kenya	41,092	25
51	Narok, Kenya	40,000	28
52	Nanyuki, Kenya	32,000	31
53	Migori, Kenya	31,644	25
54	Victoria, Seychelles	26,450	98
55	Bel Air, Mauritius	17,600	52
56	Flacq, Mauritius	16,000	51
57	Saint Pierre, Mauritius	16,000	53
58	Mahebourg, Mauritius	15,500	47
59	Bambous, Mauritius	15,300	49
60	Naivasha, Kenya	14,563	29

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.