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
211	Nizhnevartovsk, Russia	287,095	48
212	Augsburg, Germany	286,374	118
213	Ljubljana, Slovenia	285,604	101
214	Greenwich, United Kingdom	285,000	116
215	Karlsruhe, Germany	283,959	110
216	Constanta, Romania	283,872	66
217	Murmansk, Russia	282,851	51
218	Sterlitamak, Russia	277,410	49
219	Kostroma, Russia	277,393	56
220	Yoshkar-Ola, Russia	276,155	48
221	Novorossiysk, Russia	275,795	41
222	Sunderland, United Kingdom	275,300	95
223	Lake Balaton, Hungary	275,000	55
224	L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain	274,455	98
225	Cherkasy, Ukraine	274,343	36
226	Aarhus, Denmark	273,077	122
227	Sarajevo, Bosnia And Herzegovina	271,194	59
228	Gelsenkirchen, Germany	270,107	96
229	Craiova, Romania	269,506	56
230	Khmelnytskyi, Ukraine	269,308	32
231	Gijon, Spain	268,313	80
232	Sumy, Ukraine	267,633	36
233	Zhytomyr, Ukraine	267,610	36
234	Chernivtsi, Ukraine	266,550	35
235	Plymouth, United Kingdom	264,695	128
236	Bordeaux, France	261,804	103
237	Kingston upon Hull, United Kingdom	260,700	88
238	Hull, United Kingdom	260,700	115
239	Novi Sad, Serbia	260,438	70
240	Verona, Italy	259,966	91

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.