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	Cairo, Egypt	9,120,350	26
2	Alexandria, Egypt	4,546,231	22
3	Algiers, Algeria	3,415,811	33
4	Casablanca, Morocco	3,215,935	51
5	Khartoum, Sudan	2,682,431	44
6	Giza, Egypt	2,681,863	24
7	Tripoli, Libya	2,127,000	25
8	Fes, Morocco	1,167,842	33
9	Shubra Al Khaymah, Egypt	1,016,722	23
10	Marrakech, Morocco	1,002,697	45
11	Sfax, Tunisia	955,421	31
12	Tangier, Morocco	947,952	44
13	Sale, Morocco	890,403	39
14	Tunis, Tunisia	728,453	37
15	Tanta, Egypt	658,798	17
16	Benghazi, Libya	631,555	22
17	Oran, Algeria	609,940	32
18	Misrata, Libya	600,000	21
19	Rabat, Morocco	573,895	45
20	Asyut, Egypt	562,743	22
21	Port Said, Egypt	538,378	22
22	Meknes, Morocco	520,428	33
23	10th of Ramadan, Egypt	511,987	24
24	Kenitra, Morocco	507,736	34
25	Agadir, Morocco	504,768	35
26	Oujda, Morocco	494,252	33
27	Suez, Egypt	488,125	21
28	Luxor, Egypt	451,318	23
29	Constantine, Algeria	448,374	38
30	El Mahalla El Kubra, Egypt	431,052	22

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.