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
1	Madrid, Spain	3,332,035	$2,326	111
2	Athens, Greece	3,090,508	$1,779	85
3	Rome, Italy	2,848,084	$2,054	98
4	Barcelona, Spain	1,660,122	$2,443	117
5	Milan, Italy	1,394,798	$2,537	121
6	Belgrade, Serbia	1,197,714	$1,541	74
7	Naples, Italy	972,212	$1,832	88
8	Mallorca, Spain	940,332	$1,624	78
9	Turin, Italy	902,000	$1,796	86
10	Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain	862,893	$1,616	78
11	Valencia, Spain	807,693	$2,090	100
12	Thessaloniki, Greece	790,824	$1,670	80
13	Zagreb, Croatia	767,131	$1,750	84
14	Seville, Spain	684,025	$1,588	76
15	Zaragoza, Spain	682,513	$1,744	84
16	Palermo, Italy	628,165	$1,537	74
17	Genoa, Italy	586,655	$1,791	85
18	Malaga, Spain	586,384	$2,079	99
19	Lisbon, Portugal	545,923	$2,206	106
20	Murcia, Spain	469,177	$1,499	71
21	Palma de Mallorca, Spain	423,350	$2,376	114
22	Skopje, North Macedonia	422,540	$1,074	51
23	Tirana, Albania	418,495	$1,387	67
24	Bologna, Italy	386,663	$2,156	103
25	Sintra, Portugal	385,654	$1,593	77
26	Florence, Italy	382,808	$2,458	117
27	Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain	378,027	$1,742	84
28	Alicante, Spain	349,282	$1,839	89
29	Bilbao, Spain	346,096	$2,157	104
30	Bari, Italy	326,344	$1,741	83

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.