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
121	Indore, India	3,272,335	21
122	Pyongyang, North Korea	3,255,288	12
123	Bursa, Turkey	3,238,618	53
124	Zhenjiang, China	3,210,418	29
125	Zhongshan, China	3,209,600	32
126	Faisalabad, Pakistan	3,203,846	17
127	Pune, India	3,115,431	29
128	Varanasi, India	3,100,000	15
129	Jaipur, India	3,073,400	22
130	Huainan, China	3,033,528	36
131	Mashhad, Iran	3,001,184	24
132	Qinhuangdao, China	2,987,605	36
133	Tashkent, Uzbekistan	2,956,384	47
134	Heyuan, China	2,953,019	38
135	Quezon City, Philippines	2,936,116	45
136	Huzhou, China	2,893,542	36
137	Jingmen, China	2,873,687	36
138	Haikou, China	2,873,358	39
139	Incheon, South Korea	2,870,545	68
140	Yinchuan, China	2,859,074	35
141	Weihai, China	2,804,800	30
142	Kaohsiung, Taiwan	2,777,873	58
143	Taichung, Taiwan	2,767,239	60
144	Kanpur, India	2,767,031	18
145	Surabaya, Indonesia	2,765,487	35
146	Xiangtan, China	2,748,552	36
147	Alanya, Turkey	2,722,103	62
148	Antalya, Turkey	2,722,103	59
149	Linyi, China	2,710,000	31
150	Baotou, China	2,709,378	37

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.