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 Europe Northern Europe Western Europe Eastern Europe Southern Europe

Rank	City	Population	Living Index
271	Petrozavodsk, Russia	235,694	51
272	Shakhty, Russia	235,492	48
273	Kropyvnytskyi, Ukraine	234,712	34
274	Derby, United Kingdom	233,700	108
275	Khimki, Russia	232,066	53
276	Porto, Portugal	231,828	93
277	Halle, Germany	231,565	78
278	Magdeburg, Germany	231,021	94
279	Granada, Spain	230,595	83
280	Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany	230,219	112
281	Milton Keynes, United Kingdom	229,941	134
282	Aberdeen, United Kingdom	229,060	112
283	Southampton, United Kingdom	228,600	134
284	Tilburg, Netherlands	227,707	115
285	Dzerzhinsk, Russia	227,326	44
286	Badalona, Spain	225,957	125
287	Blagoveshchensk, Russia	225,787	50
288	Korolyov, Russia	225,299	51
289	Terrassa, Spain	225,277	87
290	Rennes, France	225,081	88
291	Ploiesti, Romania	224,406	55
292	Stary Oskol, Russia	223,921	48
293	Zelenograd, Russia	223,902	50
294	Podolsk, Russia	223,896	56
295	Veliky Novgorod, Russia	223,191	54
296	Angarsk, Russia	222,855	47
297	Almere, Netherlands	222,825	130
298	Krefeld, Germany	222,058	102
299	Sabadell, Spain	218,300	96
300	Ternopil, Ukraine	218,134	29

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.