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
391	Brcko, Bosnia And Herzegovina	39,893	48
392	Bihac, Bosnia And Herzegovina	39,690	50
393	Plasencia, Spain	39,412	75
394	Schio, Italy	39,355	82
395	Ermesinde, Portugal	39,095	82
396	Marinha Grande, Portugal	39,032	80
397	Zakynthos, Greece	39,015	95
398	Ohrid, North Macedonia	38,940	47
399	Karditsa, Greece	38,554	67
400	Citta di Castello, Italy	38,195	75
401	Voghera, Italy	38,183	96
402	Salamina, Greece	38,022	75
403	Lipljan, Kosovo	38,000	36
404	Saronno, Italy	38,000	107
405	Celje, Slovenia	37,872	75
406	Santa Pola, Spain	37,816	81
407	Kaštela, Croatia	37,794	69
408	Silves, Portugal	37,776	81
409	Vilagarcia de Arousa, Spain	37,689	73
410	Chaves, Portugal	37,592	78
411	Samobor, Croatia	37,435	71
412	Cisterna di Latina, Italy	36,868	85
413	Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia	36,764	52
414	Nuoro, Italy	36,678	86
415	Cambrils, Spain	36,496	81
416	Tomar, Portugal	36,414	63
417	Kefalonia, Greece	36,404	80
418	Bjelovar, Croatia	36,316	74
419	Ontinyent, Spain	36,194	83
420	Mytilene, Greece	36,163	69

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.