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	Price per month for a nomad	Living Index
61	Tver, Russia	425,000	$1,017	48
62	Magnitogorsk, Russia	413,251	$1,109	55
63	Surgut, Russia	406,938	$1,136	54
64	Ivanovo, Russia	401,505	$786	37
65	Belgorod, Russia	391,702	$1,111	53
66	Sochi, Russia	389,946	$1,260	60
67	Szczecin, Poland	387,700	$1,400	67
68	Mogilev, Belarus	381,353	$780	37
69	Brno, Czech Republic	380,127	$1,909	91
70	Vinnytsia, Ukraine	373,302	$718	34
71	Hrodna, Belarus	370,919	$620	30
72	Vitebsk, Belarus	370,298	$774	37
73	Plovdiv, Bulgaria	368,983	$1,234	59
74	Yakutsk, Russia	361,154	$1,284	62
75	Bydgoszcz, Poland	359,428	$1,497	71
76	Vladimir, Russia	352,347	$1,037	50
77	Varna, Bulgaria	348,058	$1,399	67
78	Arkhangelsk, Russia	344,927	$1,166	56
79	Nizhny Tagil, Russia	344,656	$1,174	57
80	Brest, Belarus	340,521	$855	41
81	Lublin, Poland	337,788	$1,501	72
82	Chita, Russia	333,679	$1,122	54
83	Kaluga, Russia	331,842	$1,021	49
84	Smolensk, Russia	325,495	$1,141	54
85	Cluj-Napoca, Romania	324,576	$1,424	68
86	Volzhsky, Russia	321,427	$910	46
87	Saransk, Russia	320,612	$1,154	55
88	Timisoara, Romania	319,279	$1,196	57
89	Cherepovets, Russia	318,107	$640	31
90	Kurgan, Russia	309,285	$606	29

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

Last update: November 3, 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.