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	Lagos, Nigeria	10,404,112	43
2	Abidjan, Ivory Coast	7,567,409	58
3	Ibadan, Nigeria	3,034,200	15
4	Dakar, Senegal	2,396,800	67
5	Accra, Ghana	2,388,000	51
6	Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso	1,915,102	55
7	Bamako, Mali	1,809,106	45
8	Conakry, Guinea	1,660,973	63
9	Kumasi, Ghana	1,517,000	24
10	Port Harcourt, Nigeria	1,382,592	46
11	Benin, Nigeria	1,147,188	20
12	Ogbomosho, Nigeria	1,032,000	22
13	Niamey, Niger	1,026,848	64
14	Monrovia, Liberia	1,010,970	59
15	Nouakchott, Mauritania	958,399	33
16	Freetown, Sierra Leone	951,000	97
17	Jos, Nigeria	900,000	24
18	Abeokuta, Nigeria	888,924	52
19	Ikeja, Nigeria	861,300	111
20	Lome, Togo	837,437	52
21	Bouake, Ivory Coast	832,371	36
22	Cotonou, Benin	780,000	41
23	Abuja, Nigeria	776,298	48
24	Kaduna, Nigeria	760,084	14
25	Oyo, Nigeria	736,100	28
26	Abomey-Calavi, Benin	650,000	34
27	Takoradi, Ghana	539,548	27
28	Ado-ekiti, Nigeria	446,749	31
29	Anyama, Ivory Coast	389,592	34
30	Akure, Nigeria	387,087	13

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update: August 25, 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.