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
361	Alcabideche, Portugal	44,177	81
362	Albufeira, Portugal	44,168	116
363	Venice, Italy	43,879	103
364	Varazdin, Croatia	43,782	65
365	Veles, North Macedonia	43,716	39
366	Puerto del Rosario, Spain	43,390	75
367	Bassano del Grappa, Italy	43,372	93
368	Veria, Greece	42,794	62
369	Ferizaj, Kosovo	42,628	33
370	Sibenik, Croatia	42,599	70
371	Avezzano, Italy	42,515	68
372	Drama, Greece	42,501	61
373	Macerata, Italy	42,473	72
374	Bijeljina, Bosnia And Herzegovina	42,278	47
375	Alghero, Italy	42,085	85
376	Imperia, Italy	41,999	84
377	Civitanova Marche, Italy	41,983	84
378	Karlovac, Croatia	41,869	63
379	Sombor, Serbia	41,814	45
380	San Donà di Piave, Italy	41,778	87
381	Dubrovnik, Croatia	41,562	99
382	Lloret de Mar, Spain	41,559	78
383	Antequera, Spain	41,178	78
384	Vasto, Italy	41,087	71
385	Sassuolo, Italy	40,853	83
386	Lodi, Italy	40,805	82
387	Jesi, Italy	40,399	87
388	Guarda, Portugal	40,126	79
389	Sisak, Croatia	40,121	70
390	Soria, Spain	40,096	89

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.