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	Johannesburg, South Africa	4,434,827	58
2	Cape Town, South Africa	3,740,026	64
3	Durban, South Africa	3,442,361	53
4	Lusaka, Zambia	1,742,979	43
5	Harare, Zimbabwe	1,606,000	50
6	Soweto, South Africa	1,270,000	50
7	Port Elizabeth, South Africa	1,050,000	59
8	Pretoria, South Africa	741,651	58
9	Bulawayo, Zimbabwe	653,337	39
10	Polokwane, South Africa	628,999	41
11	Pietermaritzburg, South Africa	618,536	53
12	Rustenburg, South Africa	549,575	48
13	Tembisa, South Africa	463,109	50
14	Ndola, Zambia	455,194	36
15	Bloemfontein, South Africa	370,000	47
16	Newcastle, South Africa	363,236	49
17	Randburg, South Africa	335,000	52
18	Roodepoort, South Africa	325,000	67
19	Windhoek, Namibia	322,500	56
20	Krugersdorp, South Africa	275,000	53
21	East London, South Africa	267,007	53
22	Boksburg, South Africa	260,000	52
23	Centurion, South Africa	236,580	57
24	Gaborone, Botswana	231,626	42
25	Maseru, Lesotho	227,880	34
26	Kimberley, South Africa	225,160	53
27	Sandton, South Africa	222,415	55
28	Mutare, Zimbabwe	188,243	40
29	Klerksdorp, South Africa	186,515	48
30	Alexandra, South Africa	179,624	50

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.