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
211	Orekhovo-Zuyevo, Russia	120,184	$1,134	55
212	Nikopol, Ukraine	119,939	$703	33
213	Zielona Gora, Poland	118,433	$1,431	68
214	Dabrowa Gornicza, Poland	117,516	$1,331	64
215	Obninsk, Russia	116,179	$1,196	56
216	Buzau, Romania	115,494	$974	47
217	Nyiregyhaza, Hungary	115,359	$1,026	49
218	Orsha, Belarus	115,052	$672	32
219	Uzhhorod, Ukraine	114,867	$756	36
220	Pleven, Bulgaria	111,567	$886	43
221	Chorzow, Poland	110,761	$1,481	71
222	Kecskemet, Hungary	109,450	$1,186	56
223	Leninsk-Kuznetskiy, Russia	109,023	$1,201	57
224	Walbrzych, Poland	108,944	$1,194	57
225	Zhukovsky, Russia	107,558	$1,023	49
226	Botosani, Romania	106,847	$893	42
227	Tarnow, Poland	106,748	$1,161	56
228	Sergiyev Posad, Russia	106,007	$1,008	49
229	Murom, Russia	105,572	$1,298	62
230	Koszalin, Poland	105,143	$1,284	61
231	Novoshakhtinsk, Russia	105,038	$1,169	54
232	Artem, Russia	104,926	$1,221	58
233	Achinsk, Russia	104,850	$1,185	55
234	Kalisz, Poland	103,997	$1,131	54
235	Liberec, Czech Republic	103,415	$1,538	73
236	Arzamas, Russia	103,396	$1,142	54
237	Elista, Russia	103,219	$950	45
238	Satu Mare, Romania	102,411	$945	45
239	Navapolatsk, Belarus	101,596	$652	31
240	Brovary, Ukraine	100,623	$691	33

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.