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
361	Puertollano, Spain	45,127	$932	45
362	Senigallia, Italy	45,027	$1,895	91
363	Slavonski Brod, Croatia	45,005	$1,126	54
364	Seregno, Italy	44,789	$1,834	88
365	Ourem, Portugal	44,538	$1,628	77
366	Pozarevac, Serbia	44,183	$784	38
367	Alcabideche, Portugal	44,177	$1,626	78
368	Albufeira, Portugal	44,168	$2,222	105
369	Venice, Italy	43,879	$2,117	101
370	Varazdin, Croatia	43,782	$1,287	61
371	Veles, North Macedonia	43,716	$769	37
372	Puerto del Rosario, Spain	43,390	$1,554	75
373	Bassano del Grappa, Italy	43,372	$1,818	87
374	Veria, Greece	42,794	$1,265	60
375	Ferizaj, Kosovo	42,628	$702	33
376	Sibenik, Croatia	42,599	$1,364	65
377	Avezzano, Italy	42,515	$1,343	64
378	Drama, Greece	42,501	$1,224	58
379	Macerata, Italy	42,473	$1,447	69
380	Bijeljina, Bosnia and Herzegovina	42,278	$919	44
381	Alghero, Italy	42,085	$1,699	81
382	Imperia, Italy	41,999	$1,678	81
383	Civitanova Marche, Italy	41,983	$1,673	81
384	Karlovac, Croatia	41,869	$1,232	59
385	Sombor, Serbia	41,814	$866	42
386	San Donà di Piave, Italy	41,778	$1,673	80
387	Dubrovnik, Croatia	41,562	$2,000	96
388	Lloret de Mar, Spain	41,559	$1,532	73
389	Antequera, Spain	41,178	$1,419	73
390	Vasto, Italy	41,087	$1,675	80

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.