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	Tetouan, Morocco	380,787	33
32	Ismailia, Egypt	352,000	17
33	Safi, Morocco	323,888	31
34	Zawiya, Libya	318,726	21
35	Temara, Morocco	313,510	41
36	El Faiyum, Egypt	306,393	22
37	New Cairo, Egypt	298,343	34
38	Batna, Algeria	290,645	30
39	Djelfa, Algeria	289,226	26
40	Setif, Algeria	288,461	23
41	Zagazig, Egypt	285,097	21
42	Damietta, Egypt	267,000	16
43	Annaba, Algeria	257,359	33
44	Minya, Egypt	247,000	18
45	Aswan, Egypt	241,261	23
46	Zliten, Libya	240,000	16
47	El Jadida, Morocco	237,464	33
48	Qena, Egypt	235,362	25
49	Damanhur, Egypt	227,943	18
50	Sousse, Tunisia	221,530	36
51	Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria	212,935	30
52	Biskra, Algeria	205,608	28
53	Tiaret, Algeria	201,263	28
54	Tebessa, Algeria	196,537	30
55	Khouribga, Morocco	195,931	33
56	Mohammedia, Morocco	194,358	40
57	Beni Mellal, Morocco	192,676	30
58	Sohag, Egypt	189,695	23
59	Shibin Al Kawm, Egypt	184,097	23
60	Chlef, Algeria	178,616	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.