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 Oceania Australia and New Zealand Melanesia Micronesia Polynesia

Rank	City	Population	Price per month for a nomad	Living Index
1	Melbourne, Australia	5,031,195	$2,823	136
2	Sydney, Australia	4,840,600	$3,274	157
3	Brisbane, Australia	2,287,896	$2,644	127
4	Perth, Australia	2,043,762	$3,053	146
5	Auckland, New Zealand	1,463,000	$2,406	115
6	Adelaide, Australia	1,245,011	$2,678	127
7	Gold Coast, Australia	607,665	$2,888	139
8	Newcastle, Australia	508,437	$2,723	131
9	Canberra, Australia	466,566	$2,923	138
10	Christchurch, New Zealand	380,600	$2,041	97
11	Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea	364,145	$1,459	70
12	Manukau, New Zealand	362,000	$1,898	91
13	Canterbury-Bankstown, Australia	350,983	$2,562	122
14	Logan City, Australia	345,098	$1,885	90
15	Sunshine Coast, Australia	284,131	$2,437	116
16	Wollongong, Australia	280,153	$2,577	123
17	North Shore, New Zealand	258,697	$2,109	102
18	Wellington, New Zealand	215,900	$2,274	108
19	Hobart, Australia	197,451	$2,592	125
20	Geelong, Australia	180,239	$2,612	126
21	Townsville, Australia	173,724	$2,606	125
22	Hamilton, New Zealand	169,500	$1,949	93
23	Redland City, Australia	159,222	$2,309	111
24	Tauranga, New Zealand	155,200	$2,385	114
25	Cairns, Australia	153,181	$2,502	121
26	Darwin, Australia	122,207	$3,099	147
27	Lower Hutt, New Zealand	111,800	$2,256	108
28	Toowoomba, Australia	108,398	$2,017	97
29	Mandurah, Australia	107,643	$2,382	114
30	Ballarat, Australia	105,348	$1,920	91

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update: November 3, 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.