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	Manukau, New Zealand	362,000	$1,898	91
12	Canterbury-Bankstown, Australia	350,983	$2,562	122
13	Logan City, Australia	345,098	$1,885	90
14	Sunshine Coast, Australia	284,131	$2,437	116
15	Wollongong, Australia	280,153	$2,577	123
16	North Shore, New Zealand	258,697	$2,109	102
17	Wellington, New Zealand	215,900	$2,274	108
18	Hobart, Australia	197,451	$2,592	125
19	Geelong, Australia	180,239	$2,612	126
20	Townsville, Australia	173,724	$2,606	125
21	Hamilton, New Zealand	169,500	$1,949	93
22	Redland City, Australia	159,222	$2,309	111
23	Tauranga, New Zealand	155,200	$2,385	114
24	Cairns, Australia	153,181	$2,502	121
25	Darwin, Australia	122,207	$3,099	147
26	Lower Hutt, New Zealand	111,800	$2,256	108
27	Toowoomba, Australia	108,398	$2,017	97
28	Mandurah, Australia	107,643	$2,382	114
29	Ballarat, Australia	105,348	$1,920	91
30	Dunedin, New Zealand	105,000	$2,010	97

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.