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	Price per month for a nomad	Living Index
91	Kemerovo, Russia	552,546	$1,007	48
92	Bremen, Germany	551,767	$2,020	97
93	Tomsk, Russia	551,505	$1,088	52
94	Stavropol, Russia	550,147	$905	43
95	Sheffield, United Kingdom	547,000	$2,256	108
96	Lisbon, Portugal	545,923	$2,239	107
97	Novokuznetsk, Russia	544,583	$1,406	67
98	Orenburg, Russia	536,862	$1,024	49
99	Gomel, Belarus	535,693	$704	34
100	Naberezhnye Chelny, Russia	532,074	$1,274	61
101	Poznan, Poland	530,464	$1,574	75
102	Nuremberg, Germany	526,091	$2,030	97
103	Antwerp, Belgium	525,935	$2,220	107
104	Ryazan, Russia	523,203	$981	47
105	Lyon, France	522,250	$2,040	98
106	Cumbria, United Kingdom	510,680	$2,399	114
107	Balashikha, Russia	507,307	$1,362	65
108	Toulouse, France	504,078	$2,034	97
109	Manchester, United Kingdom	503,100	$2,517	121
110	Cheboksary, Russia	496,350	$966	46
111	Kaliningrad, Russia	493,256	$1,435	69
112	Lipetsk, Russia	490,428	$1,097	52
113	Edinburgh, United Kingdom	488,050	$2,705	130
114	Duisburg, Germany	486,855	$1,894	90
115	Mykolaiv, Ukraine	480,080	$730	35
116	Tula, Russia	475,161	$941	45
117	Gdansk, Poland	470,633	$1,726	83
118	Murcia, Spain	469,177	$1,496	72
119	Bristol, United Kingdom	463,400	$2,918	141
120	Kursk, Russia	450,977	$947	45

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update: November 10, 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.