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.

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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
91	El Oued, Algeria	134,699	$516	25
92	Ouargla, Algeria	133,024	$420	20
93	Khemisset, Morocco	131,542	$719	35
94	Gabes, Tunisia	130,984	$517	25
95	Relizane, Algeria	130,094	$427	20
96	Ksar El Kebir, Morocco	126,617	$765	37
97	Larache, Morocco	125,008	$760	36
98	Guelma, Algeria	120,847	$528	25
99	Ain Beida, Algeria	118,662	$476	23
100	Guelmim, Morocco	118,318	$570	27
101	Ariana, Tunisia	114,486	$690	33
102	Abnub, Egypt	111,785	$400	20
103	Gafsa, Tunisia	111,170	$583	28
104	Berkane, Morocco	109,237	$713	35
105	Qalyub, Egypt	109,000	$426	20
106	Hammamet, Tunisia	106,326	$765	36
107	Monastir, Tunisia	104,535	$705	34
108	Taourirt, Morocco	103,398	$697	33
109	Oued Zem, Morocco	95,267	$745	36
110	Sidi Slimane, Morocco	92,989	$711	34
111	La Marsa, Tunisia	92,987	$732	35
112	El Bayadh, Algeria	91,632	$417	20
113	Djerba, Tunisia	89,228	$442	21
114	Bouira, Algeria	88,801	$401	19
115	Ben Arous, Tunisia	88,322	$709	34
116	Kasserine, Tunisia	83,534	$594	28
117	Sabratha, Libya	83,398	$407	20
118	Al Kharijah, Egypt	83,108	$405	20
119	Taroudant, Morocco	80,149	$699	34
120	Sheikh Zayed, Egypt	80,000	$458	22

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.