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
451	Badajoz, Spain	150,190	67
452	Salerno, Italy	150,188	84
453	Breda, Netherlands	150,008	117
454	Split, Croatia	149,830	91
455	Stavanger, Norway	149,330	137
456	Stara Zagora, Bulgaria	149,266	43
457	Dundee, United Kingdom	148,280	98
458	Nimes, France	148,104	82
459	Odivelas, Portugal	148,058	79
460	Jyvaskyla, Finland	147,821	98
461	Rimini, Italy	147,750	90
462	Aix-en-Provence, France	147,478	106
463	Clermont-Ferrand, France	147,327	88
464	Sibiu, Romania	147,245	54
465	Kragujevac, Serbia	146,315	58
466	Pyatigorsk, Russia	146,262	49
467	Huddersfield, United Kingdom	146,234	107
468	Cambridge, United Kingdom	145,818	156
469	Pristina, Kosovo	145,149	40
470	Le Mans, France	145,004	84
471	Regensburg, Germany	145,000	102
472	Balti, Moldova	144,800	50
473	Larissa, Greece	144,651	75
474	Bacau, Romania	144,307	45
475	Salamanca, Spain	143,954	72
476	Miskolc, Hungary	143,502	55
477	Lleida, Spain	143,094	88
478	Barysaw, Belarus	143,051	38
479	Nakhodka, Russia	142,673	58
480	Huelva, Spain	142,532	79

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.