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
91	Cluj-Napoca, Romania	324,576	70
92	Volzhsky, Russia	321,427	34
93	Saransk, Russia	320,612	44
94	Timisoara, Romania	319,279	57
95	Cherepovets, Russia	318,107	49
96	Kurgan, Russia	309,285	50
97	Vologda, Russia	308,530	44
98	Ostrava, Czech Republic	304,880	72
99	Oryol, Russia	303,696	40
100	Vladikavkaz, Russia	301,543	50
101	Poltava, Ukraine	297,600	32
102	Bialystok, Poland	297,554	71
103	Kherson, Ukraine	294,941	29
104	Chernihiv, Ukraine	293,969	36
105	Tambov, Russia	293,661	44
106	Iasi, Romania	290,422	57
107	Nizhnevartovsk, Russia	287,095	48
108	Constanta, Romania	283,872	66
109	Murmansk, Russia	282,851	51
110	Sterlitamak, Russia	277,410	49
111	Kostroma, Russia	277,393	56
112	Yoshkar-Ola, Russia	276,155	48
113	Novorossiysk, Russia	275,795	41
114	Lake Balaton, Hungary	275,000	55
115	Cherkasy, Ukraine	274,343	36
116	Craiova, Romania	269,506	56
117	Khmelnytskyi, Ukraine	269,308	32
118	Sumy, Ukraine	267,633	36
119	Zhytomyr, Ukraine	267,610	36
120	Chernivtsi, Ukraine	266,550	35

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.