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
331	Deva, Romania	61,123	42
332	Vratsa, Bulgaria	60,877	40
333	Tuapse, Russia	60,707	48
334	Gabrovo, Bulgaria	59,611	47
335	Fryazino, Russia	58,942	50
336	Kaposvár, Hungary	58,830	57
337	Martin, Slovakia	58,794	67
338	Opava, Czech Republic	58,732	64
339	Frýdek-Místek, Czech Republic	58,607	67
340	Onesti, Romania	57,333	51
341	Biala Podlaska, Poland	56,760	65
342	Trencin, Slovakia	56,759	72
343	Sibay, Russia	56,514	47
344	Zalau, Romania	56,202	42
345	Vorkuta, Russia	56,131	45
346	Beryozovsky, Russia	56,052	49
347	Veszprem, Hungary	56,029	64
348	Sfantu Gheorghe, Romania	56,006	39
349	Swidnica, Poland	55,800	59
350	Bedzin, Poland	55,542	69
351	Vaslui, Romania	55,407	51
352	Polevskoy, Russia	55,182	43
353	Zalaegerszeg, Hungary	55,152	52
354	Poprad, Slovakia	54,931	72
355	Salekhard, Russia	54,800	45
356	Asenovgrad, Bulgaria	54,778	43
357	Békéscsaba, Hungary	54,460	54
358	Medias, Romania	53,564	53
359	Kobryn, Belarus	53,177	29
360	Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic	52,065	70

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

Last update: August 25, 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.