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
421	Cambrils, Spain	36,496	$1,631	78
422	Tomar, Portugal	36,414	$1,255	60
423	Kefalonia, Greece	36,404	$1,590	76
424	Bjelovar, Croatia	36,316	$1,581	76
425	Ontinyent, Spain	36,194	$1,518	72
426	Mytilene, Greece	36,163	$1,411	69
427	Gostivar, North Macedonia	36,000	$837	40
428	Strumica, North Macedonia	36,000	$861	41
429	Belluno, Italy	35,870	$1,705	82
430	Rethymno, Greece	35,763	$1,367	65
431	Cento, Italy	35,582	$1,658	80
432	Cassino, Italy	35,265	$1,802	87
433	Kozani, Greece	35,242	$1,351	65
434	Cantù, Italy	35,153	$1,675	83
435	Esposende, Portugal	35,138	$1,537	74
436	Pirot, Serbia	34,942	$1,057	51
437	Pyrgos, Greece	34,902	$1,379	67
438	Jagodina, Serbia	34,892	$867	41
439	Conegliano, Italy	34,891	$1,751	84
440	Gorizia, Italy	34,844	$1,744	84
441	Braganca, Portugal	34,589	$1,012	49
442	Mazarron, Spain	34,462	$1,604	76
443	Abrantes, Portugal	34,336	$1,458	70
444	Argyroupoli, Greece	34,000	$1,433	71
445	Samos, Greece	33,814	$1,442	68
446	Angra do Heroismo, Portugal	33,779	$1,526	73
447	Termoli, Molise, Italy	33,739	$1,716	82
448	Lagos, Portugal	33,500	$2,020	96
449	Pinerolo, Italy	33,494	$1,402	67
450	Ronda, Spain	33,329	$1,601	77

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update: November 10, 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.