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
301	Usolye-Sibirskoye, Russia	73,507	50
302	Resita, Romania	73,282	51
303	Pila, Poland	72,184	69
304	Érd, Hungary	71,338	53
305	Yegoryevsk, Russia	71,285	57
306	Ostrow Wielkopolski, Poland	71,254	70
307	Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria	71,150	48
308	Slatina, Romania	70,293	43
309	Kladno, Czech Republic	70,000	84
310	Suwalki, Poland	69,575	74
311	Most, Czech Republic	68,280	69
312	Trnava, Slovakia	68,038	79
313	Georgiyevsk, Russia	67,714	48
314	Kalush, Ukraine	67,559	35
315	Gniezno, Poland	67,157	73
316	Szolnok, Hungary	66,426	46
317	Tatabanya, Hungary	65,861	56
318	Dmitrov, Russia	65,716	56
319	Pruszków, Poland	65,283	72
320	Calarasi, Romania	65,181	50
321	Ishim, Russia	64,010	54
322	Alba Iulia, Romania	63,536	48
323	Pabianice, Poland	63,479	75
324	Lomza, Poland	62,711	73
325	Zamosc, Poland	62,368	71
326	Tarnowskie Góry, Poland	61,789	70
327	Elk, Poland	61,782	69
328	Sopron, Hungary	61,589	62
329	Giurgiu, Romania	61,353	56
330	Kolomyia, Ukraine	61,286	34

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.