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	72
2	Baghdad, Iraq	7,216,040	53
3	Ankara, Turkey	5,864,049	63
4	Riyadh, Saudi Arabia	5,188,286	89
5	Izmir, Turkey	4,493,242	63
6	Amman, Jordan	4,000,000	57
7	Jeddah, Saudi Arabia	3,430,697	61
8	Bursa, Turkey	3,238,618	53
9	Alanya, Turkey	2,722,103	62
10	Antalya, Turkey	2,722,103	59
11	Baku, Azerbaijan	2,300,500	46
12	Adana, Turkey	2,258,718	49
13	Gaziantep, Turkey	2,164,134	48
14	Konya, Turkey	2,161,303	58
15	Basra, Iraq	2,150,000	37
16	Sanliurfa, Turkey	2,143,020	51
17	Aleppo, Syria	2,132,100	35
18	Kocaeli, Turkey	2,079,072	50
19	Diyarbakir, Turkey	1,804,880	46
20	Mersin, Turkey	1,773,852	58
21	Al Hillah, Iraq	1,729,666	41
22	Erbil, Iraq	1,713,461	51
23	Mecca, Saudi Arabia	1,675,368	53
24	Sanaa, Yemen	1,527,861	45
25	Damascus, Syria	1,414,913	37
26	Sharjah, United Arab Emirates	1,400,000	79
27	Manisa, Turkey	1,396,945	49
28	Kayseri, Turkey	1,389,680	49
29	Doha, Qatar	1,312,947	99
30	Samsun, Turkey	1,295,927	50

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.