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
91	Cagliari, Italy	154,478	90
92	Foggia, Italy	151,991	78
93	Podgorica, Montenegro	150,799	65
94	Logrono, Spain	150,583	75
95	Badajoz, Spain	150,190	67
96	Salerno, Italy	150,188	84
97	Split, Croatia	149,830	91
98	Odivelas, Portugal	148,058	79
99	Rimini, Italy	147,750	90
100	Kragujevac, Serbia	146,315	58
101	Pristina, Kosovo	145,149	40
102	Larissa, Greece	144,651	75
103	Salamanca, Spain	143,954	72
104	Lleida, Spain	143,094	88
105	Huelva, Spain	142,532	79
106	Coimbra, Portugal	140,838	77
107	Heraklion, Greece	140,730	78
108	Dos Hermanas, Spain	138,981	81
109	Banja Luka, Bosnia And Herzegovina	138,963	58
110	Tarragona, Spain	138,262	88
111	Torrejón de Ardoz, Spain	137,711	87
112	Vila Franca de Xira, Portugal	137,540	70
113	Maia, Portugal	134,988	120
114	Peristeri, Greece	133,630	75
115	Vila Nova de Famalicao, Portugal	133,574	71
116	Reggio Nell'emilia, Italy	133,296	83
117	Ferrara, Italy	133,155	83
118	Mataro, Spain	129,870	93
119	Leiria, Portugal	128,616	74
120	Latina, Italy	127,395	77

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

Last update: February 24, 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.