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
301	Jorhat, India	126,736	20
302	Layyah, Pakistan	126,361	17
303	Patan, India	125,500	19
304	Udupi, India	125,300	17
305	Kandy, Sri Lanka	125,000	27
306	Mirpur, Pakistan	124,350	16
307	Swabi, Pakistan	123,412	17
308	Dimapur, India	122,800	17
309	Behbahan, Iran	122,604	26
310	Faridpur, Bangladesh	122,425	19
311	Satara, India	120,200	21
312	Nowshera, Pakistan	120,131	18
313	Mianwali, Pakistan	118,883	23
314	Nagaon, India	117,700	19
315	Hosur, India	116,800	20
316	Chittorgarh, India	116,400	20
317	Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, Sri Lanka	115,826	38
318	Kohima, India	115,283	19
319	Bilaspur, India	115,000	19
320	Panaji, India	114,759	24
321	Valsad, India	114,600	18
322	Azamgarh, India	111,000	18
323	Satkhira, Bangladesh	110,500	16
324	Amparai, Sri Lanka	110,000	26
325	Badulla, Sri Lanka	110,000	26
326	Port Blair, India	108,500	19
327	Kushtia, Bangladesh	108,423	15
328	Greater Noida, India	107,676	24
329	Bhiwadi, India	104,900	17
330	Bhimdatta, Nepal	104,444	20

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.