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	Multan, Pakistan	1,871,843	21
32	Thane, India	1,841,488	29
33	Bhopal, India	1,800,000	20
34	Hyderabad, Pakistan	1,732,698	23
35	Ghaziabad, India	1,729,000	23
36	Karaj, Iran	1,712,000	27
37	Madurai, India	1,700,000	22
38	Siliguri, India	1,572,000	17
39	Shiraz, Iran	1,565,572	28
40	Tabriz, Iran	1,558,693	33
41	Agra, India	1,500,000	20
42	Nashik, India	1,486,000	22
43	Kurukshetra, India	1,340,871	15
44	Rajkot, India	1,286,678	19
45	Ahvaz, Iran	1,184,788	28
46	Srinagar, India	1,180,570	19
47	Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, India	1,175,116	20
48	Aurangabad, India	1,175,116	19
49	Dhanbad, India	1,162,472	16
50	Amritsar, India	1,132,761	19
51	Navi Mumbai, India	1,120,547	27
52	Qom, Iran	1,075,000	22
53	Ranchi, India	1,074,000	22
54	Howrah, India	1,072,161	19
55	Coimbatore, India	1,050,000	19
56	Vijayawada, India	1,048,240	22
57	Chandigarh, India	1,028,667	23
58	Raipur, India	1,010,087	26
59	Islamabad, Pakistan	1,009,832	27
60	Kota, India	1,001,400	19

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.