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	Hue, Vietnam	1,166,500	$491	24
32	Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia	1,047,356	$912	45
33	Pekanbaru, Indonesia	1,020,308	$611	29
34	Padang, Indonesia	1,000,096	$648	30
35	Cebu, Philippines	964,169	$958	46
36	Palawan, Philippines	939,594	$786	38
37	Bandar Lampung, Indonesia	921,087	$578	28
38	Subang Jaya, Malaysia	902,086	$1,315	63
39	Klang, Malaysia	902,025	$948	46
40	Antipolo, Philippines	887,399	$827	40
41	Johor Bahru, Malaysia	858,118	$1,082	52
42	Malang, Indonesia	857,891	$470	22
43	Bogor, Indonesia	834,000	$427	21
44	Shah Alam, Malaysia	812,327	$877	42
45	Pasig, Philippines	803,159	$811	39
46	George Town, Malaysia	794,313	$950	46
47	Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia	788,445	$907	43
48	Vientiane, Laos	783,000	$1,004	48
49	Petaling Jaya, Malaysia	771,687	$1,090	52
50	Ipoh, Malaysia	759,952	$836	40
51	Jambi, Indonesia	750,857	$637	29
52	Tasikmalaya, Indonesia	733,467	$564	27
53	Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines	728,402	$750	36
54	Samarinda, Indonesia	726,223	$641	31
55	Banjarmasin, Indonesia	715,703	$569	27
56	Valenzuela, Philippines	714,978	$881	41
57	Paranaque City, Philippines	703,245	$531	25
58	Balikpapan, Indonesia	701,066	$663	32
59	General Santos, Philippines	697,315	$822	39
60	Seremban, Malaysia	681,541	$797	38

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.