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
211	Craigavon, United Kingdom	57,651	117
212	Sundsvall, Sweden	57,606	87
213	Livingston, United Kingdom	56,840	110
214	Skien, Norway	56,769	116
215	Vejle, Denmark	56,567	114
216	Halmstad, Sweden	55,688	87
217	Vaxjo, Sweden	55,600	88
218	Weymouth, United Kingdom	55,543	116
219	Dunfermline, United Kingdom	55,000	100
220	Barry, United Kingdom	54,673	116
221	Sundbyberg, Sweden	54,120	90
222	Bodo, Norway	53,698	114
223	Kongens Lyngby, Denmark	53,501	110
224	Narva, Estonia	53,424	68
225	Uxbridge, United Kingdom	52,774	150
226	Bracknell, United Kingdom	52,696	147
227	Cumbernauld, United Kingdom	52,270	120
228	Moss, Norway	52,213	117
229	Mikkeli, Finland	51,916	87
230	Porvoo, Finland	51,293	91
231	Hvidovre, Denmark	51,202	106
232	Salo, Finland	51,097	93
233	Roskilde, Denmark	50,781	126
234	Kotka, Finland	50,488	93
235	Larvik, Norway	48,743	113
236	Banbury, United Kingdom	48,681	107
237	Ashton-under-Lyne, United Kingdom	48,604	115
238	Lidingo, Sweden	48,541	92
239	Welwyn Garden City, United Kingdom	48,380	118
240	Kokkola, Finland	48,299	87

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.