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
1	Moscow, Russia	12,700,000	82
2	Saint Petersburg, Russia	5,597,763	60
3	Kyiv, Ukraine	2,908,249	47
4	Minsk, Belarus	1,992,862	47
5	Bucharest, Romania	1,883,425	65
6	Warsaw, Poland	1,861,599	100
7	Budapest, Hungary	1,686,222	79
8	Novosibirsk, Russia	1,620,162	53
9	Yekaterinburg, Russia	1,495,066	65
10	Kharkiv, Ukraine	1,447,652	32
11	Sofia, Bulgaria	1,286,383	76
12	Kazan, Russia	1,257,341	55
13	Prague, Czech Republic	1,251,933	100
14	Nizhny Novgorod, Russia	1,244,254	55
15	Chelyabinsk, Russia	1,200,719	42
16	Samara, Russia	1,163,645	44
17	Rostov-on-Don, Russia	1,114,806	53
18	Omsk, Russia	1,110,836	53
19	Krasnoyarsk, Russia	1,092,851	53
20	Ufa, Russia	1,075,000	48
21	Voronezh, Russia	1,050,602	50
22	Perm, Russia	1,026,908	42
23	Odesa, Ukraine	1,008,852	38
24	Volgograd, Russia	1,004,763	40
25	Krasnodar, Russia	948,827	52
26	Tyumen, Russia	861,098	61
27	Saratov, Russia	818,383	50
28	Krakow, Poland	806,201	88
29	Zaporizhzhya, Ukraine	750,685	32
30	Chisinau, Moldova	750,000	62

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

Last update: September 15, 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.