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
181	Mugla, Turkey	82,717	55
182	Baalbek, Lebanon	82,608	74
183	Vanadzor, Armenia	82,200	49
184	Nazareth, Israel	81,631	113
185	Lod, Israel	81,202	114
186	Sitrah, Bahrain	81,000	42
187	Ramla, Israel	80,786	115
188	Al Muharraq, Bahrain	75,000	61
189	'aqrah, Iraq	68,100	37
190	Strovolos, Cyprus	67,904	85
191	Khafji, Saudi Arabia	67,012	59
192	Eilat, Israel	66,618	93
193	Nahariyya, Israel	65,526	100
194	Madaba, Jordan	65,000	42
195	Bakixanov, Azerbaijan	64,700	29
196	Hod Hasharon, Israel	64,120	122
197	Kiryat Ata, Israel	62,821	114
198	Givatayim, Israel	62,546	130
199	Al Mafraq, Jordan	60,000	30
200	Abovyan, Armenia	60,000	39
201	Kiryat Gat, Israel	59,408	118
202	Acre, Israel	55,974	97
203	Afula, Israel	53,958	106
204	Karmiel, Israel	53,736	96
205	Lankaran, Azerbaijan	51,600	26
206	Larnaca, Cyprus	51,468	94
207	Ramat HaSharon, Israel	50,786	115
208	Tiberias, Israel	48,505	99
209	Bayan, Kuwait	47,734	69
210	Kiryat Motzkin, Israel	47,675	114

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.