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
1	Istanbul, Turkey	15,701,602	70
2	Baghdad, Iraq	7,216,040	52
3	Ankara, Turkey	5,864,049	62
4	Riyadh, Saudi Arabia	5,188,286	81
5	Izmir, Turkey	4,493,242	57
6	Amman, Jordan	4,000,000	54
7	Jeddah, Saudi Arabia	3,430,697	64
8	Bursa, Turkey	3,238,618	49
9	Alanya, Turkey	2,722,103	50
10	Antalya, Turkey	2,722,103	56
11	Baku, Azerbaijan	2,300,500	47
12	Adana, Turkey	2,258,718	43
13	Gaziantep, Turkey	2,164,134	33
14	Konya, Turkey	2,161,303	41
15	Basra, Iraq	2,150,000	43
16	Sanliurfa, Turkey	2,143,020	40
17	Aleppo, Syria	2,132,100	31
18	Kocaeli, Turkey	2,079,072	58
19	Diyarbakir, Turkey	1,804,880	48
20	Mersin, Turkey	1,773,852	48
21	Al Hillah, Iraq	1,729,666	37
22	Erbil, Iraq	1,713,461	49
23	Mecca, Saudi Arabia	1,675,368	45
24	Sanaa, Yemen	1,527,861	47
25	Damascus, Syria	1,414,913	40
26	Sharjah, United Arab Emirates	1,400,000	84
27	Manisa, Turkey	1,396,945	44
28	Kayseri, Turkey	1,389,680	42
29	Doha, Qatar	1,312,947	100
30	Samsun, Turkey	1,295,927	42

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.