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
91	Cagliari, Italy	154,478	$1,807	86
92	Foggia, Italy	151,991	$1,727	83
93	Podgorica, Montenegro	150,799	$1,338	64
94	Logrono, Spain	150,583	$1,566	75
95	Badajoz, Spain	150,190	$1,337	64
96	Salerno, Italy	150,188	$1,673	80
97	Split, Croatia	149,830	$1,852	88
98	Odivelas, Portugal	148,058	$1,814	87
99	Rimini, Italy	147,750	$1,842	88
100	Kragujevac, Serbia	146,315	$1,196	58
101	Pristina, Kosovo	145,149	$885	43
102	Larissa, Greece	144,651	$1,485	71
103	Salamanca, Spain	143,954	$1,467	70
104	Lleida, Spain	143,094	$1,461	71
105	Huelva, Spain	142,532	$1,556	74
106	Coimbra, Portugal	140,838	$1,620	77
107	Heraklion, Greece	140,730	$1,629	78
108	Dos Hermanas, Spain	138,981	$1,530	76
109	Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina	138,963	$1,194	57
110	Tarragona, Spain	138,262	$1,767	85
111	Torrejón de Ardoz, Spain	137,711	$1,741	83
112	Vila Franca de Xira, Portugal	137,540	$1,532	73
113	Maia, Portugal	134,988	$2,183	104
114	Peristeri, Greece	133,630	$1,475	71
115	Vila Nova de Famalicao, Portugal	133,574	$1,612	78
116	Reggio Nell'emilia, Italy	133,296	$1,807	87
117	Ferrara, Italy	133,155	$1,580	76
118	Mataro, Spain	129,870	$1,853	88
119	Leiria, Portugal	128,616	$1,614	78
120	Latina, Italy	127,395	$1,589	76

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.