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
451	Hamadan, Iran	526,000	24
452	Maltepe, Turkey	523,137	54
453	Karaganda, Kazakhstan	520,486	38
454	Utsunomiya, Japan	519,217	65
455	Pohang, South Korea	514,869	67
456	Tabuk, Saudi Arabia	512,629	67
457	Al-'amarah, Iraq	511,542	34
458	Matsuyama, Japan	511,192	63
459	Aden, Yemen	508,489	70
460	Sargodha, Pakistan	507,817	22
461	Ulhasnagar, India	506,937	20
462	Surakarta, Indonesia	503,421	33
463	Sangli, India	502,800	18
464	Jammu, India	502,197	17
465	Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia	500,425	43
466	Asansol, India	500,000	19
467	Vadodara, India	500,000	21
468	Hubli, India	500,000	21
469	Patna, India	500,000	21
470	Pokhara, Nepal	500,000	24
471	Gwalior, India	500,000	19
472	Meerut, India	500,000	22
473	Mangalore, India	500,000	25
474	Jhansi, India	500,000	16
475	Jamshedpur, India	500,000	23
476	Jabalpur, India	500,000	18
477	Imphal, India	500,000	21
478	Lapu-Lapu, Philippines	497,604	43
479	Imus, Philippines	496,794	38
480	Ichikawa, Japan	496,676	59

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.