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
181	Viana do Castelo, Portugal	85,784	$1,495	72
182	Fuengirola, Spain	85,598	$1,743	84
183	Prizren, Kosovo	85,119	$784	37
184	Ilion, Greece	84,793	$1,560	75
185	Treviso, Italy	83,731	$1,977	95
186	Busto Arsizio, Italy	83,094	$1,833	88
187	Torres Vedras, Portugal	83,075	$1,919	91
188	Ceuta, Spain	83,039	$1,464	70
189	Pontevedra, Spain	82,535	$1,450	70
190	Volos, Greece	82,439	$1,537	73
191	Grosseto, Italy	82,087	$1,560	74
192	Aveiro, Portugal	80,978	$1,660	80
193	Vila do Conde, Portugal	80,831	$1,373	66
194	Varese, Italy	80,511	$2,153	102
195	Vlore, Albania	79,513	$1,193	57
196	Ostia, Italy	79,400	$1,781	85
197	Manresa, Spain	78,877	$1,242	60
198	Elbasan, Albania	78,703	$887	42
199	Como, Italy	78,680	$2,038	97
200	Nis, Serbia	78,470	$1,046	50
201	Fiumicino, Italy	78,395	$1,749	84
202	Barreiro, Portugal	78,359	$1,667	79
203	Gandia, Spain	78,108	$1,266	61
204	Shkoder, Albania	77,075	$972	47
205	Estepona, Spain	76,975	$1,799	87
206	Alcala de Guadaira, Spain	76,547	$1,625	75
207	Palencia, Spain	76,331	$1,480	71
208	Caserta, Italy	76,330	$1,489	72
209	Benalmadena, Spain	75,801	$1,844	88
210	Osijek, Croatia	75,535	$1,436	69

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.