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
61	Gdansk, Poland	470,633	87
62	Kursk, Russia	450,977	48
63	Ulan Ude, Russia	436,138	48
64	Bratislava, Slovakia	432,801	89
65	Tver, Russia	425,000	46
66	Magnitogorsk, Russia	413,251	43
67	Surgut, Russia	406,938	48
68	Ivanovo, Russia	401,505	46
69	Bryansk, Russia	399,579	50
70	Belgorod, Russia	391,702	44
71	Sochi, Russia	389,946	54
72	Szczecin, Poland	387,700	70
73	Mogilev, Belarus	381,353	31
74	Brno, Czech Republic	380,127	91
75	Vinnytsia, Ukraine	373,302	34
76	Hrodna, Belarus	370,919	25
77	Vitebsk, Belarus	370,298	32
78	Plovdiv, Bulgaria	368,983	55
79	Yakutsk, Russia	361,154	62
80	Bydgoszcz, Poland	359,428	74
81	Vladimir, Russia	352,347	45
82	Varna, Bulgaria	348,058	61
83	Arkhangelsk, Russia	344,927	55
84	Nizhny Tagil, Russia	344,656	53
85	Brest, Belarus	340,521	35
86	Lublin, Poland	337,788	79
87	Chita, Russia	333,679	59
88	Kaluga, Russia	331,842	39
89	Smolensk, Russia	325,495	43
90	Grozny, Russia	324,602	48

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.