Just looked into which cities with lowest cost of living are actually realistic options if you're thinking about relocating. Turns out there's some solid data from 2024 on this, and honestly, the affordable cities list is pretty eye-opening.

So basically, most of the cheapest places to live in the world are concentrated in Asia and parts of Africa. India absolutely dominates the rankings - like, Pune, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad are all in the top tier for cities with lowest cost of living. The cost of living indices for these cities are in the low to mid 20s, which is wild compared to US standards (where 100 is the baseline).

If you're serious about affordability, Pune tops the list with a cost of living index of 24.8. Delhi sits at 24.5, and Bangalore at 29.3. But here's the interesting part - Bangalore actually has the highest local purchasing power (108.3), which means your money goes further there. Other affordable cities worth considering are scattered across Pakistan (Karachi, Lahore), China (Wuhan, Chengdu), and South Africa (Cape Town, Johannesburg). Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia is also reasonable at 35.

The methodology behind this ranks cities by comparing cost of living indices, rent, groceries, and local purchasing power. Rent is particularly cheap in places like Karachi (3.0 index) and Lahore (3.1), though that's offset by lower wages. If you're looking at cities with lowest cost of living but also want decent earning potential, the Indian metros seem to balance both better.

Obviously this data's from early 2024, so things might've shifted a bit. But if location independence or early retirement is the goal, these affordable cities definitely deserve a closer look.