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
271	Nitra, Slovakia	84,444	75
272	Nowy Sacz, Poland	83,943	67
273	Irpin, Ukraine	83,057	37
274	Anapa, Russia	82,695	49
275	Targu Jiu, Romania	82,504	51
276	Zilina, Slovakia	81,494	72
277	Havirov, Czech Republic	80,549	63
278	Banska Bystrica, Slovakia	80,466	74
279	Roman, Romania	80,328	49
280	Gelendzhik, Russia	80,296	51
281	Targoviste, Romania	79,610	51
282	Klin, Russia	79,249	48
283	Hunedoara, Romania	78,675	42
284	Pernik, Bulgaria	78,342	44
285	Jelenia Gora, Poland	77,807	70
286	Szombathely, Hungary	77,757	57
287	Siedlce, Poland	77,645	70
288	Barlad, Romania	77,518	52
289	Konin, Poland	77,224	70
290	Pazardzhik, Bulgaria	76,739	49
291	Yambol, Bulgaria	76,599	42
292	Haskovo, Bulgaria	76,587	43
293	Zhlobin, Belarus	76,220	26
294	Piotrkow Trybunalski, Poland	75,903	70
295	Zlin, Czech Republic	75,870	81
296	Dubna, Russia	75,176	43
297	Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria	75,079	39
298	Bistrita, Romania	75,076	45
299	Izmail, Ukraine	74,421	37
300	Tulcea, Romania	73,707	49

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.