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
271	Matera, Italy	59,607	75
272	Alcoy, Spain	59,493	79
273	Smederevo, Serbia	59,261	51
274	Chalcis, Greece	59,125	76
275	Figueira da Foz, Portugal	58,962	63
276	Motril, Spain	58,939	73
277	Santarem, Portugal	58,671	78
278	Avila, Spain	57,741	80
279	Kalamata, Greece	57,620	75
280	Fano, Italy	57,529	79
281	Kraljevo, Serbia	57,432	44
282	Manfredonia, Italy	57,279	86
283	Kranj, Slovenia	57,065	87
284	Niksic, Montenegro	56,970	48
285	Olbia, Italy	56,512	87
286	Trani, Italy	56,217	77
287	Valjevo, Serbia	56,059	52
288	Serrai, Greece	56,000	70
289	Katerini, Greece	56,000	67
290	Cuneo, Italy	55,939	71
291	Fier, Albania	55,845	57
292	Montijo, Portugal	55,689	93
293	Agrigento, Italy	55,286	80
294	Trapani, Italy	55,219	62
295	Teramo, Italy	54,892	76
296	Avellino, Italy	54,847	69
297	Sanremo, Italy	54,807	90
298	Agrinio, Greece	54,253	66
299	Gjilan, Kosovo	54,239	33
300	Anzio, Italy	54,211	77

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.