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 Asia Central Asia Eastern Asia Southern Asia South-Eastern Asia Western Asia

Rank	City	Population	Living Index
361	Malatya, Turkey	781,305	49
362	Korla, China	779,352	36
363	Petaling Jaya, Malaysia	771,687	46
364	Bahawalpur, Pakistan	762,111	17
365	Erzurum, Turkey	762,021	54
366	Ipoh, Malaysia	759,952	44
367	Colombo, Sri Lanka	753,000	36
368	Jambi, Indonesia	750,857	33
369	Ordu, Turkey	750,588	50
370	Afyonkarahisar, Turkey	747,555	53
371	An Nasiriyah, Iraq	745,000	40
372	Thiruvananthapuram, India	744,983	19
373	Kumamoto, Japan	738,865	65
374	Urmia, Iran	736,224	22
375	Tasikmalaya, Indonesia	733,467	26
376	Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines	728,402	38
377	Samarinda, Indonesia	726,223	35
378	Sagamihara, Japan	725,493	68
379	Okayama, Japan	719,474	52
380	Banjarmasin, Indonesia	715,703	31
381	Valenzuela, Philippines	714,978	27
382	Saharanpur, India	705,478	15
383	Shizuoka, Japan	701,803	65
384	Balikpapan, Indonesia	701,066	39
385	Tieling, China	699,675	36
386	General Santos, Philippines	697,315	36
387	Seremban, Malaysia	681,541	39
388	Rasht, Iran	679,995	26
389	Namangan, Uzbekistan	678,200	18
390	Ansan, South Korea	677,710	72

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.