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
151	Torun, Poland	196,935	$1,243	59
152	Oradea, Romania	196,367	$1,019	49
153	Rybinsk, Russia	193,341	$1,283	62
154	Kielce, Poland	192,468	$1,404	68
155	Burgas, Bulgaria	189,741	$1,241	60
156	Abakan, Russia	187,239	$949	46
157	Balakovo, Russia	186,012	$1,043	51
158	Gliwice, Poland	185,450	$1,330	63
159	Noril'sk, Russia	182,701	$1,121	54
160	Kamensk-Uralskiy, Russia	182,500	$1,222	59
161	Braila, Romania	180,302	$1,070	52
162	Baranavichy, Belarus	179,166	$570	27
163	Krasnogorsk, Russia	175,812	$1,016	49
164	Olsztyn, Poland	174,675	$1,721	82
165	Zabrze, Poland	169,831	$1,513	72
166	Bielsko-biala, Poland	169,756	$1,484	71
167	Plzen, Czech Republic	168,951	$1,800	86
168	Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia	163,152	$1,112	53
169	Bytom, Poland	162,250	$1,502	72
170	Zlatoust, Russia	162,148	$1,100	53
171	Ruse, Bulgaria	159,798	$1,018	48
172	Arad, Romania	159,074	$992	47
173	Almetyevsk, Russia	158,019	$1,083	52
174	Szeged, Hungary	157,930	$1,251	60
175	Tiraspol, Moldova	157,917	$674	32
176	Severodvinsk, Russia	157,213	$1,121	54
177	Pitesti, Romania	155,383	$1,121	54
178	Stara Zagora, Bulgaria	149,266	$920	44
179	Sibiu, Romania	147,245	$1,158	55
180	Balti, Moldova	144,800	$972	47

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.