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
331	Hafnarfjordur, Iceland	31,525	186
332	Epsom, United Kingdom	31,489	121
333	Warwick, United Kingdom	31,345	126
334	Windsor, United Kingdom	31,225	121
335	Uddevalla, Sweden	31,212	97
336	Gjovik, Norway	31,007	117
337	Jonava, Lithuania	30,650	67
338	Lichfield, United Kingdom	30,600	113
339	Landskrona, Sweden	30,499	90
340	Pontypridd, United Kingdom	30,457	102
341	Newry, United Kingdom	29,946	107
342	Nyköping, Sweden	29,891	87
343	Aberdare, United Kingdom	29,748	122
344	Utena, Lithuania	28,997	67
345	Kongsberg, Norway	28,878	118
346	Lillehammer, Norway	28,831	100
347	Riihimaki, Finland	28,482	81
348	Ljungby, Sweden	28,404	89
349	Horten, Norway	28,001	115
350	Ennis, Ireland	27,923	121
351	Stenungsund, Sweden	27,842	90
352	Sonderborg, Denmark	27,785	96
353	Newark-on-Trent, United Kingdom	27,700	111
354	Varberg, Sweden	27,602	92
355	Witney, United Kingdom	27,522	127
356	Carlow, Ireland	27,351	126
357	Svendborg, Denmark	27,054	109
358	Haverhill, United Kingdom	27,041	115
359	Holmestrand, Norway	26,932	117
360	Valmiera, Latvia	26,674	61

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.