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
61	Quetta, Pakistan	1,001,205	18
62	Jamnagar, India	1,000,000	20
63	Guwahati, India	1,000,000	19
64	Kathmandu, Nepal	975,000	25
65	Solapur, India	951,600	16
66	Kermanshah, Iran	946,651	25
67	Jalandhar, India	903,491	20
68	Rewari, India	900,332	18
69	Bareilly, India	898,167	19
70	Mysore, India	887,446	18
71	Gurgaon, India	876,824	30
72	Aligarh, India	872,575	19
73	Salem, India	831,038	19
74	Warangal, India	811,844	16
75	Bahawalpur, Pakistan	762,111	17
76	Colombo, Sri Lanka	753,000	36
77	Thiruvananthapuram, India	744,983	19
78	Urmia, Iran	736,224	22
79	Saharanpur, India	705,478	15
80	Rasht, Iran	679,995	26
81	Kochi, India	677,381	21
82	Gorakhpur, India	671,048	17
83	Khulna, Bangladesh	664,728	17
84	Sialkot, Pakistan	655,852	17
85	Bikaner, India	647,804	16
86	Guntur, India	647,508	17
87	Amravati, India	647,000	18
88	Noida, India	637,272	26
89	Ernakulam, India	612,343	21
90	Cuttack, India	610,189	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.