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
91	Hanover, Germany	555,372	99
92	Kemerovo, Russia	552,546	44
93	Bremen, Germany	551,767	96
94	Tomsk, Russia	551,505	48
95	Stavropol, Russia	550,147	39
96	Sheffield, United Kingdom	547,000	106
97	Lisbon, Portugal	545,923	108
98	Novokuznetsk, Russia	544,583	47
99	Orenburg, Russia	536,862	44
100	Gomel, Belarus	535,693	33
101	Naberezhnye Chelny, Russia	532,074	47
102	Poznan, Poland	530,464	76
103	Nuremberg, Germany	526,091	97
104	Antwerp, Belgium	525,935	103
105	Astrakhan, Russia	524,371	40
106	Ryazan, Russia	523,203	44
107	Lyon, France	522,250	98
108	Kirov, Russia	521,091	39
109	Penza, Russia	509,513	35
110	Balashikha, Russia	507,307	60
111	Toulouse, France	504,078	95
112	Manchester, United Kingdom	503,100	121
113	Cheboksary, Russia	496,350	37
114	Kaliningrad, Russia	493,256	58
115	Lipetsk, Russia	490,428	42
116	Edinburgh, United Kingdom	488,050	126
117	Duisburg, Germany	486,855	97
118	Mykolaiv, Ukraine	480,080	33
119	Tula, Russia	475,161	44
120	Gdansk, Poland	470,633	86

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.