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
451	Aosta, Italy	33,149	$1,929	93
452	Cesano Maderno, Italy	33,094	$1,893	91
453	Struga, North Macedonia	33,000	$855	41
454	Maspalomas, Spain	33,000	$1,894	91
455	Crema, Italy	32,981	$1,564	74
456	Santa Maria Capua Vetere, Italy	32,802	$1,652	79
457	Berat, Albania	32,606	$1,146	55
458	Gibraltar, Gibraltar	32,577	$2,904	139
459	Zajecar, Serbia	32,448	$1,221	58
460	Prijedor, Bosnia and Herzegovina	32,342	$975	47
461	Oristano, Italy	32,156	$1,656	79
462	Bugibba, Malta	32,042	$1,776	84
463	Sitges, Spain	31,954	$1,669	80
464	Vrsac, Serbia	31,946	$922	45
465	La Vall d'Uixó, Spain	31,611	$1,582	71
466	Podujevo, Kosovo	31,417	$552	26
467	Lushnje, Albania	31,105	$1,191	57
468	Verbania, Italy	31,070	$1,700	81
469	Kicevo, North Macedonia	31,000	$893	43
470	Kos, Greece	30,947	$1,525	73
471	Puerto de la Cruz, Spain	30,849	$1,877	91
472	Vinkovci, Croatia	30,842	$1,244	59
473	Carbonia, Italy	30,447	$1,718	82
474	Frattamaggiore, Italy	30,329	$1,697	81
475	Bra, Italy	30,224	$1,558	74
476	Alba, Italy	29,910	$1,634	78
477	Canosa di Puglia, Italy	29,847	$1,445	69
478	Corinth, Greece	29,787	$1,515	73
479	Javea, Spain	29,760	$1,640	76
480	Rota, Spain	29,675	$1,630	79

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.