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	Luxor, Egypt	451,318	$477	23
32	Constantine, Algeria	448,374	$618	30
33	El Mahalla El Kubra, Egypt	431,052	$395	19
34	Tetouan, Morocco	380,787	$649	31
35	Sixth of October City, Egypt	368,650	$370	17
36	Ismailia, Egypt	352,000	$323	16
37	Safi, Morocco	323,888	$587	28
38	Zawiya, Libya	318,726	$441	21
39	Temara, Morocco	313,510	$751	36
40	El Faiyum, Egypt	306,393	$390	19
41	New Cairo, Egypt	298,343	$663	32
42	Batna, Algeria	290,645	$531	26
43	Djelfa, Algeria	289,226	$478	23
44	Setif, Algeria	288,461	$409	20
45	Zagazig, Egypt	285,097	$359	17
46	Damietta, Egypt	267,000	$326	16
47	Annaba, Algeria	257,359	$614	29
48	Minya, Egypt	247,000	$362	17
49	Aswan, Egypt	241,261	$412	20
50	El Jadida, Morocco	237,464	$621	30
51	Qena, Egypt	235,362	$436	21
52	Damanhur, Egypt	227,943	$307	15
53	Sousse, Tunisia	221,530	$707	34
54	Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria	212,935	$555	27
55	Biskra, Algeria	205,608	$530	25
56	Tiaret, Algeria	201,263	$428	21
57	Al `arish, Egypt	199,243	$417	20
58	Tebessa, Algeria	196,537	$423	20
59	Khouribga, Morocco	195,931	$650	31
60	Kafr El Sheikh, Egypt	194,569	$367	18

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.