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
31	Padang, Indonesia	1,000,096	34
32	Cebu, Philippines	964,169	44
33	Palawan, Philippines	939,594	39
34	Bandar Lampung, Indonesia	921,087	28
35	Subang Jaya, Malaysia	902,086	47
36	Klang, Malaysia	902,025	44
37	Antipolo, Philippines	887,399	38
38	Johor Bahru, Malaysia	858,118	48
39	Malang, Indonesia	857,891	24
40	Bogor, Indonesia	834,000	30
41	Shah Alam, Malaysia	812,327	43
42	Pasig, Philippines	803,159	44
43	George Town, Malaysia	794,313	42
44	Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia	788,445	48
45	Vientiane, Laos	783,000	71
46	Petaling Jaya, Malaysia	771,687	46
47	Ipoh, Malaysia	759,952	44
48	Jambi, Indonesia	750,857	33
49	Tasikmalaya, Indonesia	733,467	26
50	Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines	728,402	38
51	Samarinda, Indonesia	726,223	35
52	Banjarmasin, Indonesia	715,703	31
53	Valenzuela, Philippines	714,978	27
54	Balikpapan, Indonesia	701,066	39
55	General Santos, Philippines	697,315	36
56	Seremban, Malaysia	681,541	39
57	Pontianak, Indonesia	672,440	34
58	Dasmarinas, Philippines	659,019	28
59	San Jose del Monte, Philippines	651,813	39
60	Yogyakarta, Indonesia	636,660	32

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.