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
121	Mahdia, Tunisia	79,545	$556	27
122	Essaouira, Morocco	77,966	$782	37
123	Sidi Kacem, Morocco	75,672	$648	32
124	El Kef, Tunisia	73,710	$607	29
125	Nabeul, Tunisia	73,128	$699	34
126	Le Bardo, Tunisia	71,961	$699	34
127	Ouarzazate, Morocco	71,067	$714	34
128	Mohammedia, Tunisia	66,593	$685	33
129	Menzel Temime, Tunisia	65,645	$718	34
130	Ain Defla, Algeria	65,453	$412	20
131	Martil, Morocco	64,355	$664	32
132	Lakhdaria, Algeria	59,746	$503	24
133	Manouba, Tunisia	58,792	$650	31
134	Kelibia, Tunisia	58,491	$635	31
135	Beja, Tunisia	57,000	$619	30
136	Msaken, Tunisia	56,000	$645	31
137	Tataouine, Tunisia	56,000	$460	22
138	Ksar Hellal, Tunisia	55,415	$696	33
139	Aja, Egypt	47,013	$395	19
140	Hassi Messaoud, Algeria	45,147	$421	20
141	Boumerdes, Algeria	41,685	$553	27
142	Tozeur, Tunisia	37,365	$603	29
143	Azazga, Algeria	34,683	$396	19
144	Ain Taoujdate, Morocco	28,288	$816	38
145	Tipasa, Algeria	25,225	$472	22
146	Djemila, Algeria	24,145	$427	20
147	Carthage, Tunisia	21,276	$696	33
148	El Gouna, Egypt	15,000	$459	22
149	Ifrane, Morocco	14,659	$758	37
150	Al `alamayn, Egypt	7,400	$440	21

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.