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
271	Rui'an, China	213,600	36
272	Icheon, South Korea	213,059	73
273	Zhubei City, Taiwan	211,746	57
274	Chungju, South Korea	208,529	72
275	Pingtung city, Taiwan	201,644	57
276	Yamaguchi, Japan	193,966	64
277	Tottori, Japan	193,717	62
278	Anseong-si, South Korea	181,319	70
279	Kamakura, Japan	172,710	64
280	Obihiro, Japan	166,536	64
281	Andong, South Korea	166,274	70
282	Ube, Japan	162,570	62
283	Seogwipo, South Korea	155,641	70
284	Ongjin, North Korea	152,878	37
285	Gimcheon, South Korea	143,056	74
286	Jecheon, South Korea	136,432	75
287	Narita, Japan	131,613	63
288	Ebina, Japan	130,678	61
289	Sacheon, South Korea	117,500	70
290	Beppu, Japan	115,321	53
291	Gongju, South Korea	110,428	75
292	Douliu, Taiwan	108,401	59
293	Taitung, Taiwan	106,368	55
294	Hua-lien, Taiwan	105,034	56
295	Boryeong, South Korea	103,620	75
296	Sangju, South Korea	100,947	72
297	Yilan, Taiwan	95,907	54
298	Miaoli, Taiwan	89,892	45
299	Erdenet, Mongolia	86,866	31
300	Gyoda, Japan	81,582	58

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.