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
361	Modena, Italy	184,973	101
362	Basildon, United Kingdom	184,479	122
363	Swindon, United Kingdom	183,638	115
364	Peterborough, United Kingdom	183,600	102
365	Bournemouth, United Kingdom	183,491	125
366	Reggio Di Calabria, Italy	183,035	70
367	Noril'sk, Russia	182,701	48
368	Southend-on-Sea, United Kingdom	181,808	102
369	Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Russia	180,467	57
370	Toulon, France	180,452	86
371	Braila, Romania	180,302	55
372	Hamm, Germany	180,000	94
373	Telford, United Kingdom	180,000	99
374	Reims, France	179,380	90
375	Baranavichy, Belarus	179,166	27
376	Odense, Denmark	178,210	116
377	Potsdam, Germany	178,089	129
378	Almada, Portugal	177,268	99
379	Saarbrucken, Germany	177,201	90
380	Castello de la Plana, Spain	176,238	76
381	Chelmsford, United Kingdom	176,194	124
382	Krasnogorsk, Russia	175,812	56
383	Durres, Albania	175,110	52
384	Olsztyn, Poland	174,675	74
385	Basel, Switzerland	174,491	184
386	Burgos, Spain	174,451	74
387	Croydon, United Kingdom	173,314	152
388	Albacete, Spain	173,206	81
389	Santander, Spain	172,726	78
390	Saint-Etienne, France	172,718	76

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.