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
91	Vologda, Russia	308,530	$873	42
92	Ostrava, Czech Republic	304,880	$1,542	74
93	Oryol, Russia	303,696	$712	34
94	Vladikavkaz, Russia	301,543	$1,115	53
95	Poltava, Ukraine	297,600	$811	38
96	Bialystok, Poland	297,554	$1,449	70
97	Kherson, Ukraine	294,941	$594	28
98	Chernihiv, Ukraine	293,969	$625	30
99	Tambov, Russia	293,661	$736	35
100	Iasi, Romania	290,422	$1,277	61
101	Nizhnevartovsk, Russia	287,095	$1,096	53
102	Katowice, Poland	286,960	$1,461	70
103	Constanta, Romania	283,872	$1,320	64
104	Murmansk, Russia	282,851	$1,087	53
105	Sterlitamak, Russia	277,410	$1,097	53
106	Kostroma, Russia	277,393	$1,287	61
107	Yoshkar-Ola, Russia	276,155	$978	47
108	Novorossiysk, Russia	275,795	$958	46
109	Lake Balaton, Hungary	275,000	$1,116	53
110	Cherkasy, Ukraine	274,343	$690	33
111	Craiova, Romania	269,506	$1,217	58
112	Khmelnytskyi, Ukraine	269,308	$727	35
113	Sumy, Ukraine	267,633	$959	46
114	Zhytomyr, Ukraine	267,610	$756	36
115	Chernivtsi, Ukraine	266,550	$732	35
116	Gdynia, Poland	257,000	$1,753	83
117	Brasov, Romania	253,200	$1,324	64
118	Taganrog, Russia	251,050	$1,047	48
119	Galati, Romania	249,432	$1,271	61
120	Mytishchi, Russia	245,643	$1,338	64

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

Last update: November 10, 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.