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
451	Berat, Albania	32,606	54
452	Gibraltar, Gibraltar	32,577	136
453	Zajecar, Serbia	32,448	59
454	Prijedor, Bosnia And Herzegovina	32,342	48
455	Oristano, Italy	32,156	79
456	Sitges, Spain	31,954	80
457	Vrsac, Serbia	31,946	44
458	La Vall d'Uixó, Spain	31,611	71
459	Podujevo, Kosovo	31,417	26
460	Lushnje, Albania	31,105	57
461	Kicevo, North Macedonia	31,000	42
462	Kos, Greece	30,947	73
463	Puerto de la Cruz, Spain	30,849	91
464	Vinkovci, Croatia	30,842	45
465	Carbonia, Italy	30,447	81
466	Frattamaggiore, Italy	30,329	78
467	Bra, Italy	30,224	78
468	Alba, Italy	29,910	78
469	Canosa di Puglia, Italy	29,847	69
470	Corinth, Greece	29,787	62
471	Javea, Spain	29,760	76
472	Rota, Spain	29,675	77
473	Kavadarci, North Macedonia	29,320	37
474	Kocani, North Macedonia	29,000	41
475	Koprivnica, Croatia	28,580	70
476	Iglesias, Italy	28,170	76
477	Aspropyrgos, Greece	27,741	63
478	Tavira, Portugal	27,530	87
479	Almunecar, Spain	27,305	64
480	San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy	27,184	70

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

Last update: August 25, 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.