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
391	Matosinhos, Portugal	172,586	91
392	Alcorcón, Spain	171,772	84
393	Oeiras, Portugal	171,767	100
394	Amadora, Portugal	171,500	87
395	Zabrze, Poland	169,831	77
396	Bielsko-biala, Poland	169,756	72
397	Darmstadt, Germany	169,255	119
398	Osnabruck, Germany	169,108	88
399	Plzen, Czech Republic	168,951	81
400	Ilford, United Kingdom	168,168	153
401	Apeldoorn, Netherlands	167,191	129
402	Muelheim an der Ruhr, Germany	167,108	128
403	Uppsala, Sweden	166,698	101
404	Seixal, Portugal	166,525	82
405	Le Havre, France	166,058	76
406	Arnhem, Netherlands	165,770	113
407	Doncaster, United Kingdom	165,468	89
408	Haarlem, Netherlands	165,396	145
409	Oxford, United Kingdom	165,000	153
410	Slough, United Kingdom	164,455	134
411	Solingen, Germany	164,205	108
412	Wexford, Ireland	163,919	109
413	Oldenburg, Germany	163,830	101
414	Piraeus, Greece	163,688	71
415	Ludwigshafen, Germany	163,340	93
416	Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia	163,152	66
417	Reading, United Kingdom	162,666	136
418	Perugia, Italy	162,527	73
419	Klaipeda, Lithuania	162,360	68
420	Bytom, Poland	162,250	66

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.