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	43
272	Shakhty, Russia	235,492	45
273	Kropyvnytskyi, Ukraine	234,712	35
274	Derby, United Kingdom	233,700	103
275	Khimki, Russia	232,066	54
276	Porto, Portugal	231,828	91
277	Halle, Germany	231,565	74
278	Magdeburg, Germany	231,021	88
279	Granada, Spain	230,595	78
280	Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany	230,219	104
281	Milton Keynes, United Kingdom	229,941	121
282	Aberdeen, United Kingdom	229,060	108
283	Southampton, United Kingdom	228,600	126
284	Tilburg, Netherlands	227,707	116
285	Dzerzhinsk, Russia	227,326	42
286	Badalona, Spain	225,957	78
287	Blagoveshchensk, Russia	225,787	54
288	Korolyov, Russia	225,299	59
289	Terrassa, Spain	225,277	72
290	Rennes, France	225,081	82
291	Ploiesti, Romania	224,406	52
292	Stary Oskol, Russia	223,921	48
293	Zelenograd, Russia	223,902	42
294	Podolsk, Russia	223,896	51
295	Veliky Novgorod, Russia	223,191	37
296	Angarsk, Russia	222,855	27
297	Almere, Netherlands	222,825	129
298	Krefeld, Germany	222,058	95
299	Sabadell, Spain	218,300	86
300	Ternopil, Ukraine	218,134	27

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

Last update: August 25, 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.