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
331	Baraut, India	103,700	19
332	Male, Maldives	103,693	77
333	Nagapattinam, India	102,900	19
334	Dhangadhi, Nepal	102,000	20
335	Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka	101,342	30
336	Malappuram, India	101,330	16
337	Kalyani, India	100,600	20
338	Masjed Soleyman, Iran	100,497	27
339	Gangtok, India	100,300	18
340	Darbhanga, India	100,000	17
341	Nizamabad, India	100,000	20
342	Muzaffarpur, India	100,000	18
343	Faridabad, India	100,000	24
344	Pondicherry, India	100,000	19
345	Tezpur, India	100,000	20
346	Thoothukudi, India	100,000	17
347	Tumkur, India	100,000	19
348	Ujjain, India	100,000	14
349	Panipat, India	100,000	18
350	Patiala, India	100,000	22
351	Dharwad, India	100,000	19
352	Ratlam, India	100,000	17
353	Matara, Sri Lanka	100,000	29
354	Durg, India	100,000	19
355	Galle, Sri Lanka	100,000	25
356	Bhubaneswar, India	100,000	20
357	Durgapur, India	100,000	16
358	Burdwan, India	100,000	17
359	Mandi, India	100,000	19
360	Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India	100,000	18

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.