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
31	Jining, China	8,357,897	$672	32
32	Fuzhou, China	8,291,268	$765	37
33	Dongguan, China	8,254,100	$820	39
34	Quanzhou, China	8,128,530	$803	39
35	Nantong, China	7,726,635	$748	36
36	Tangshan, China	7,717,983	$718	34
37	Ningbo, China	7,605,689	$644	31
38	Wuxi, China	7,462,135	$730	35
39	Dalian, China	7,450,785	$900	43
40	Yancheng, China	7,260,240	$702	34
41	Zunyi, China	6,606,675	$717	34
42	Huanggang, China	6,291,000	$708	34
43	Jieyang, China	5,877,025	$685	33
44	Changde, China	5,717,200	$652	31
45	Xinxiang, China	5,707,801	$651	31
46	Nanchong, China	5,607,565	$684	33
47	Xiangyang, China	5,500,307	$719	34
48	Shantou, China	5,389,328	$686	33
49	Qiqihar, China	5,367,003	$715	34
50	Jinhua, China	5,361,572	$652	31
51	Yuncheng, China	5,300,000	$744	36
52	Changsha, China	5,289,000	$739	35
53	Changzhou, China	5,278,121	$743	36
54	Nanchang, China	5,042,566	$652	31
55	Pingdingshan, China	5,000,000	$706	34
56	Guilin, China	4,931,137	$591	29
57	Shaoxing, China	4,912,239	$751	36
58	Mianyang, Sichuan, China	4,868,243	$646	31
59	Zhangzhou, China	4,809,983	$714	34
60	Huai'an, China	4,799,889	$716	34

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

Last update: November 10, 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.