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
391	Kochi, India	677,381	21
392	Pontianak, Indonesia	672,440	34
393	Gorakhpur, India	671,048	17
394	Khulna, Bangladesh	664,728	17
395	Al Hufuf, Saudi Arabia	660,788	52
396	Dasmarinas, Philippines	659,019	28
397	Cheonan, South Korea	658,486	63
398	Sialkot, Pakistan	655,852	17
399	Jeonju, South Korea	653,387	62
400	Homs, Syria	652,609	22
401	San Jose del Monte, Philippines	651,813	39
402	Ad Diwaniyah, Iraq	650,927	31
403	Bikaner, India	647,804	16
404	Guntur, India	647,508	17
405	Amravati, India	647,000	18
406	Kuwait City, Kuwait	637,411	72
407	Noida, India	637,272	26
408	Yogyakarta, Indonesia	636,660	32
409	Adiyaman, Turkey	632,459	53
410	Al Ain, United Arab Emirates	631,005	80
411	Funabashi, Japan	627,006	60
412	Macao, Macao (China)	622,567	88
413	Sivas, Turkey	621,224	53
414	Linfen, China	617,000	36
415	Taizhou, China	615,000	36
416	Ernakulam, India	612,343	21
417	Cuttack, India	610,189	19
418	Las Pinas, Philippines	606,293	42
419	Bacoor, Philippines	600,609	39
420	Belgaum, India	600,000	18

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.