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
241	Salford, United Kingdom	258,834	126
242	Brighton, United Kingdom	256,000	148
243	Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain	255,886	97
244	Moenchengladbach, Germany	255,430	99
245	Tampere, Finland	255,066	97
246	Brasov, Romania	253,200	64
247	Braunschweig, Germany	253,167	89
248	Wolverhampton, United Kingdom	251,462	107
249	Taganrog, Russia	251,050	48
250	Galati, Romania	249,432	56
251	Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom	249,000	89
252	Vantaa, Finland	247,447	111
253	Corunna, Spain	247,376	80
254	Kiel, Germany	246,306	100
255	Mytishchi, Russia	245,643	57
256	Rivne, Ukraine	245,323	26
257	Barnsley, United Kingdom	245,199	90
258	Eindhoven, Netherlands	243,730	131
259	Syktyvkar, Russia	243,536	47
260	Chemnitz, Germany	243,089	84
261	Aachen, Germany	241,683	99
262	Nizhnekamsk, Russia	240,097	50
263	Nalchik, Russia	239,054	47
264	Swansea, United Kingdom	239,000	113
265	Kosice, Slovakia	238,593	88
266	Elche, Spain	238,293	74
267	Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine	238,196	34
268	Gent, Belgium	237,000	114
269	Lille, France	236,710	97
270	Azores, Portugal	236,657	81

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.