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
151	Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, India	374,000	16
152	Rohtak, India	373,133	17
153	Bharatpur, Nepal	369,268	20
154	Mardan, Pakistan	358,604	21
155	Kasur, Pakistan	358,409	19
156	Okara, Pakistan	357,935	15
157	Ahmednagar, India	350,859	22
158	Kadapa, India	344,893	19
159	Rajahmundry, India	341,831	18
160	Barisal, Bangladesh	339,308	16
161	Vizianagaram, India	332,000	15
162	Bijapur, India	330,000	18
163	Gorgan, Iran	329,536	29
164	Malda, India	324,237	27
165	Junagadh, India	320,250	22
166	Chandrapur, India	320,000	19
167	Shahjahanpur, India	320,000	19
168	Haridwar, India	310,582	19
169	Purnia, India	310,000	19
170	Rangpur, Bangladesh	307,053	16
171	Hisar, India	301,240	17
172	Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan	300,600	33
173	Sari, Iran	300,000	28
174	Aizawl, India	291,822	18
175	Tirupati, India	287,482	20
176	Karnal, India	286,974	21
177	Narayanganj, Bangladesh	286,330	12
178	Bathinda, India	285,813	19
179	Chiniot, Pakistan	278,747	20
180	Kashan, Iran	275,904	26

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.