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
151	Ancona, Italy	100,861	$1,617	77
152	Viseu, Portugal	99,561	$1,367	66
153	Arezzo, Italy	99,543	$1,773	84
154	Udine, Italy	99,169	$1,751	84
155	Santiago de Compostela, Spain	98,687	$1,442	69
156	Lugo, Spain	98,214	$1,527	73
157	Pisa, Italy	97,888	$2,243	108
158	Cesena, Italy	96,758	$1,643	79
159	Pesaro, Italy	96,609	$1,672	80
160	Caceres, Spain	96,215	$1,727	82
161	Maribor, Slovenia	96,000	$1,674	80
162	Barletta, Italy	94,814	$1,580	75
163	Lecce, Italy	94,773	$1,495	71
164	La Spezia, Italy	91,391	$1,729	83
165	Alessandria, Italy	90,987	$1,622	77
166	Catanzaro, Italy	90,610	$1,732	83
167	Pistoia, Italy	90,315	$1,663	79
168	Cornella de Llobregat, Spain	90,303	$988	47
169	El Ejido, Spain	89,975	$1,630	79
170	Torrevieja, Spain	89,290	$1,417	68
171	Ioannina, Greece	89,061	$1,398	67
172	Lucca, Italy	89,046	$2,053	98
173	Guadalajara, Spain	89,010	$1,424	68
174	Pozuelo de Alarcon, Spain	88,784	$2,107	101
175	Subotica, Serbia	88,752	$1,088	52
176	Chiclana de la Frontera, Spain	88,709	$1,565	74
177	Brindisi, Italy	88,302	$1,599	77
178	Mestre, Italy	87,377	$1,798	86
179	Glyfada, Greece	87,305	$1,865	90
180	Toledo, Spain	86,070	$1,595	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.