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
421	Strumica, North Macedonia	36,000	44
422	Gostivar, North Macedonia	36,000	40
423	Belluno, Italy	35,870	88
424	Rethymno, Greece	35,763	74
425	Cento, Italy	35,582	88
426	Cassino, Italy	35,265	77
427	Kozani, Greece	35,242	65
428	Cantù, Italy	35,153	88
429	Esposende, Portugal	35,138	76
430	Pirot, Serbia	34,942	61
431	Pyrgos, Greece	34,902	71
432	Jagodina, Serbia	34,892	55
433	Conegliano, Italy	34,891	86
434	Gorizia, Italy	34,844	80
435	Braganca, Portugal	34,589	53
436	Mazarron, Spain	34,462	81
437	Abrantes, Portugal	34,336	78
438	Argyroupoli, Greece	34,000	73
439	Samos, Greece	33,814	71
440	Angra do Heroismo, Portugal	33,779	76
441	Termoli, Molise, Italy	33,739	86
442	Lagos, Portugal	33,500	102
443	Pinerolo, Italy	33,494	71
444	Ronda, Spain	33,329	78
445	Aosta, Italy	33,149	99
446	Cesano Maderno, Italy	33,094	95
447	Maspalomas, Spain	33,000	87
448	Struga, North Macedonia	33,000	40
449	Crema, Italy	32,981	86
450	Santa Maria Capua Vetere, Italy	32,802	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.