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
211	Abbottabad, Pakistan	208,491	15
212	Kharagpur, India	207,600	17
213	Dindigul, India	207,300	18
214	Bojnord, Iran	207,196	27
215	Hospet, India	206,200	17
216	Gandhinagar, India	206,200	27
217	Eluru, India	203,780	19
218	Birjand, Iran	203,636	27
219	Deoghar, India	203,100	18
220	Haldia, India	200,762	21
221	Puri, India	200,500	18
222	Morena, India	200,482	17
223	Dewas, India	200,000	14
224	Ooty, India	200,000	17
225	Sīrjān, Iran	199,704	27
226	Khoy, Iran	198,845	27
227	Mandi Bahauddin, Pakistan	198,609	17
228	Anand, India	198,200	17
229	Ambala, India	196,000	20
230	Morbi, India	194,947	20
231	Fatehpur, India	193,200	18
232	Dinajpur, Bangladesh	191,329	17
233	Raebareli, India	191,300	19
234	Jhelum, Pakistan	190,425	17
235	Vellore, India	186,000	14
236	Narsingdi, Bangladesh	185,128	14
237	Adoni, India	184,625	22
238	Khammam, India	184,200	16
239	Sambalpur, India	184,000	16
240	Raiganj, India	183,600	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.