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	24
32	Thane, India	1,841,488	25
33	Bhopal, India	1,800,000	17
34	Hyderabad, Pakistan	1,732,698	19
35	Ghaziabad, India	1,729,000	20
36	Karaj, Iran	1,712,000	35
37	Madurai, India	1,700,000	19
38	Siliguri, India	1,572,000	14
39	Shiraz, Iran	1,565,572	25
40	Tabriz, Iran	1,558,693	19
41	Agra, India	1,500,000	18
42	Nashik, India	1,486,000	17
43	Kurukshetra, India	1,340,871	13
44	Rajkot, India	1,286,678	16
45	Ahvaz, Iran	1,184,788	26
46	Srinagar, India	1,180,570	14
47	Aurangabad, India	1,175,116	18
48	Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, India	1,175,116	17
49	Dhanbad, India	1,162,472	14
50	Amritsar, India	1,132,761	18
51	Navi Mumbai, India	1,120,547	25
52	Qom, Iran	1,075,000	19
53	Ranchi, India	1,074,000	19
54	Howrah, India	1,072,161	17
55	Coimbatore, India	1,050,000	17
56	Vijayawada, India	1,048,240	18
57	Chandigarh, India	1,028,667	22
58	Raipur, India	1,010,087	22
59	Islamabad, Pakistan	1,009,832	27
60	Kota, India	1,001,400	15

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update: August 25, 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.