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
31	Cordoba, Spain	323,763	$1,665	80
32	Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal	303,854	$1,758	84
33	Patras, Greece	300,000	$1,428	68
34	Catania, Italy	298,037	$1,569	75
35	Valladolid, Spain	297,459	$1,533	74
36	Vigo, Spain	293,652	$1,712	82
37	Ljubljana, Slovenia	285,604	$2,143	102
38	L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain	274,455	$1,934	93
39	Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina	271,194	$1,213	58
40	Gijon, Spain	268,313	$1,736	83
41	Novi Sad, Serbia	260,438	$1,401	67
42	Verona, Italy	259,966	$1,911	91
43	Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain	255,886	$2,016	96
44	Corunna, Spain	247,376	$1,783	85
45	Elche, Spain	238,293	$1,501	72
46	Azores, Portugal	236,657	$1,591	77
47	Porto, Portugal	231,828	$1,943	94
48	Granada, Spain	230,595	$1,611	77
49	Badalona, Spain	225,957	$1,648	78
50	Terrassa, Spain	225,277	$1,515	72
51	Sabadell, Spain	218,300	$1,832	87
52	Cartagena, Spain	218,050	$1,417	67
53	Messina, Italy	217,734	$1,392	66
54	Oviedo, Spain	217,584	$1,778	85
55	Cascais, Portugal	214,158	$2,392	113
56	Jerez de la Frontera, Spain	213,231	$1,427	68
57	Padova, Italy	210,401	$2,101	101
58	Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain	209,395	$2,060	99
59	Pamplona, Spain	205,762	$1,869	90
60	Loures, Portugal	201,632	$1,658	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.