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	Madinat Hamad, Bahrain	133,350	55
152	Rustavi, Georgia	132,333	39
153	Kutaisi, Georgia	130,411	41
154	Jizan, Saudi Arabia	127,743	43
155	Giresun, Turkey	125,682	43
156	Beit Shemesh, Israel	124,445	143
157	Karabuk, Turkey	123,309	31
158	Riffa, Bahrain	121,566	56
159	Ar-rass, Saudi Arabia	121,359	51
160	Dhahran, Saudi Arabia	120,521	60
161	Zonguldak, Turkey	120,395	50
162	Agri, Turkey	120,390	46
163	Sur, Oman	120,000	53
164	'ibri, Oman	116,416	49
165	Tartus, Syria	115,769	29
166	Al-Rumaitha, Iraq	115,431	38
167	Amasya, Turkey	114,921	52
168	Jaramana, Syria	114,363	30
169	Gyumri, Armenia	111,138	43
170	Duma, Syria	110,893	30
171	Kfar Saba, Israel	109,091	101
172	Herzliya, Israel	106,022	48
173	Hadera, Israel	102,223	101
174	Limassol, Cyprus	101,000	126
175	'ali, Bahrain	100,553	38
176	'amran, Yemen	96,375	34
177	Didim, Turkey	93,876	46
178	Fujairah, United Arab Emirates	93,673	66
179	Sabah Al Salem, Kuwait	92,818	62
180	Rabigh, Saudi Arabia	92,072	49

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.