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	19
62	Guwahati, India	1,000,000	17
63	Jamnagar, India	1,000,000	16
64	Kathmandu, Nepal	975,000	22
65	Solapur, India	951,600	14
66	Kermanshah, Iran	946,651	22
67	Jalandhar, India	903,491	19
68	Rewari, India	900,332	14
69	Bareilly, India	898,167	15
70	Mysore, India	887,446	17
71	Gurgaon, India	876,824	27
72	Aligarh, India	872,575	17
73	Salem, India	831,038	16
74	Warangal, India	811,844	15
75	Bahawalpur, Pakistan	762,111	14
76	Colombo, Sri Lanka	753,000	35
77	Thiruvananthapuram, India	744,983	18
78	Urmia, Iran	736,224	19
79	Saharanpur, India	705,478	15
80	Rasht, Iran	679,995	21
81	Kochi, India	677,381	18
82	Gorakhpur, India	671,048	13
83	Khulna, Bangladesh	664,728	16
84	Sialkot, Pakistan	655,852	16
85	Bikaner, India	647,804	13
86	Guntur, India	647,508	15
87	Amravati, India	647,000	15
88	Noida, India	637,272	22
89	Ernakulam, India	612,343	16
90	Cuttack, India	610,189	16

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.