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
421	Zlatoust, Russia	162,148	47
422	Enschede, Netherlands	161,235	121
423	Leverkusen, Germany	160,819	123
424	Amersfoort, Netherlands	160,759	141
425	Ruse, Bulgaria	159,798	47
426	Dijon, France	159,346	91
427	Livorno, Italy	159,219	89
428	Neuss, Germany	159,122	98
429	Ravenna, Italy	159,116	83
430	Arad, Romania	159,074	44
431	Almetyevsk, Russia	158,019	42
432	Szeged, Hungary	157,930	53
433	Tiraspol, Moldova	157,917	35
434	Grenoble, France	157,477	98
435	Severodvinsk, Russia	157,213	48
436	Angers, France	157,175	108
437	Villeurbanne, France	156,928	105
438	Guimaraes, Portugal	156,849	83
439	Herne, Germany	156,449	106
440	Marbella, Spain	156,295	81
441	Pitesti, Romania	155,383	53
442	Poole, United Kingdom	154,718	127
443	Cagliari, Italy	154,478	90
444	Heidelberg, Germany	152,113	116
445	Salzburg, Austria	152,083	132
446	Foggia, Italy	151,991	78
447	Braintree, United Kingdom	151,677	132
448	Paderborn, Germany	151,633	96
449	Podgorica, Montenegro	150,799	65
450	Logrono, Spain	150,583	75

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.