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
31	Tbilisi, Georgia	1,241,700	60
32	An Najaf, Iraq	1,221,248	34
33	Balikesir, Turkey	1,196,170	45
34	Van, Turkey	1,141,015	45
35	Yerevan, Armenia	1,129,300	73
36	Aydin, Turkey	1,119,084	44
37	Kahramanmaras, Turkey	1,112,634	50
38	Medina, Saudi Arabia	1,100,093	74
39	Sakarya, Turkey	1,094,481	54
40	Muscat, Oman	1,090,797	67
41	Denizli, Turkey	1,051,056	57
42	Tripoli, Lebanon	999,000	43
43	Esenyurt, Turkey	978,007	54
44	Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates	921,000	109
45	Ad Dammam, Saudi Arabia	903,312	61
46	Dammam, Saudi Arabia	903,312	61
47	Eskisehir, Turkey	888,828	52
48	Jerusalem, Israel	882,652	126
49	Kirkuk, Iraq	850,787	29
50	Sulaymaniyah, Iraq	823,199	37
51	Trabzon, Turkey	816,684	50
52	Malatya, Turkey	781,305	49
53	Erzurum, Turkey	762,021	54
54	Ordu, Turkey	750,588	50
55	Afyonkarahisar, Turkey	747,555	53
56	An Nasiriyah, Iraq	745,000	40
57	Al Hufuf, Saudi Arabia	660,788	52
58	Homs, Syria	652,609	22
59	Ad Diwaniyah, Iraq	650,927	31
60	Kuwait City, Kuwait	637,411	72

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.