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	Price per month for a nomad	Living Index
121	Jeddah, Saudi Arabia	3,430,697	$1,394	67
122	Hanzhong, China	3,416,196	$702	33
123	Datong, China	3,318,057	$713	34
124	Bengbu, China	3,296,408	$671	32
125	Kabul, Afghanistan	3,289,000	$488	24
126	Indore, India	3,272,335	$433	21
127	Bursa, Turkey	3,238,618	$1,130	54
128	Zhenjiang, China	3,210,418	$706	34
129	Zhongshan, China	3,209,600	$706	34
130	Faisalabad, Pakistan	3,203,846	$395	19
131	Pangasinan, Philippines	3,188,540	$782	37
132	Pune, India	3,115,431	$571	27
133	Varanasi, India	3,100,000	$293	14
134	Jaipur, India	3,073,400	$471	23
135	Huainan, China	3,033,528	$708	34
136	Mashhad, Iran	3,001,184	$464	22
137	Qinhuangdao, China	2,987,605	$718	34
138	Tashkent, Uzbekistan	2,956,384	$1,066	51
139	Heyuan, China	2,953,019	$802	38
140	Quezon City, Philippines	2,936,116	$848	41
141	Huzhou, China	2,893,542	$821	39
142	Jingmen, China	2,873,687	$770	37
143	Haikou, China	2,873,358	$817	39
144	Incheon, South Korea	2,870,545	$1,402	67
145	Yinchuan, China	2,859,074	$724	35
146	Weihai, China	2,804,800	$628	30
147	Kaohsiung, Taiwan	2,777,873	$1,141	55
148	Taichung, Taiwan	2,767,239	$1,112	53
149	Kanpur, India	2,767,031	$345	17
150	Surabaya, Indonesia	2,765,487	$682	33

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

Last update: November 3, 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.