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	$1,354	65
153	Arezzo, Italy	99,543	$1,759	85
154	Udine, Italy	99,169	$1,765	84
155	Santiago de Compostela, Spain	98,687	$1,446	69
156	Lugo, Spain	98,214	$1,538	73
157	Pisa, Italy	97,888	$2,228	107
158	Cesena, Italy	96,758	$1,658	80
159	Pesaro, Italy	96,609	$1,663	79
160	Caceres, Spain	96,215	$1,715	82
161	Maribor, Slovenia	96,000	$1,665	81
162	Barletta, Italy	94,814	$1,570	76
163	Lecce, Italy	94,773	$1,485	71
164	La Spezia, Italy	91,391	$1,732	83
165	Alessandria, Italy	90,987	$1,629	78
166	Catanzaro, Italy	90,610	$1,802	86
167	Pistoia, Italy	90,315	$1,658	80
168	Cornella de Llobregat, Spain	90,303	$990	47
169	El Ejido, Spain	89,975	$1,633	79
170	Torrevieja, Spain	89,290	$1,412	67
171	Ioannina, Greece	89,061	$1,410	67
172	Lucca, Italy	89,046	$2,043	98
173	Guadalajara, Spain	89,010	$1,426	68
174	Pozuelo de Alarcon, Spain	88,784	$2,108	101
175	Subotica, Serbia	88,752	$1,081	52
176	Chiclana de la Frontera, Spain	88,709	$1,564	75
177	Brindisi, Italy	88,302	$1,605	77
178	Mestre, Italy	87,377	$1,804	86
179	Glyfada, Greece	87,305	$1,897	90
180	Toledo, Spain	86,070	$1,595	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.