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
1	Dar es Salaam, Tanzania	5,383,728	43
2	Addis Ababa, Ethiopia	3,500,000	70
3	Nairobi, Kenya	3,138,295	39
4	Mogadishu, Somalia	2,610,000	30
5	Hargeysa, Somalia	1,960,000	34
6	Meru, Kenya	1,833,000	24
7	Kampala, Uganda	1,516,210	37
8	Mombasa, Kenya	1,300,000	31
9	Antananarivo, Madagascar	1,274,225	29
10	Maputo, Mozambique	1,244,227	55
11	Kisumu, Kenya	1,155,574	30
12	Kigali, Rwanda	1,132,686	40
13	Blantyre, Malawi	994,500	38
14	Lilongwe, Malawi	781,538	34
15	Zanzibar, Tanzania	709,809	22
16	Matola, Mozambique	675,422	51
17	Bujumbura, Burundi	658,859	25
18	Arusha, Tanzania	617,631	10
19	Asmara, Eritrea	579,000	73
20	Mbeya, Tanzania	541,603	22
21	Djibouti, Djibouti	475,332	102
22	Morogoro, Tanzania	471,409	22
23	Nakuru, Kenya	307,990	29
24	Adama, Ethiopia	228,623	55
25	Mbarara, Uganda	195,013	27
26	Eldoret, Kenya	193,830	27
27	Hawassa, Ethiopia	160,000	41
28	Saint-Denis, Reunion	154,765	84
29	Kericho, Kenya	150,000	23
30	Kiambu, Kenya	147,870	24

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.