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
181	Viana do Castelo, Portugal	85,784	67
182	Fuengirola, Spain	85,598	85
183	Prizren, Kosovo	85,119	38
184	Ilion, Greece	84,793	74
185	Treviso, Italy	83,731	99
186	Busto Arsizio, Italy	83,094	99
187	Torres Vedras, Portugal	83,075	95
188	Ceuta, Spain	83,039	73
189	Pontevedra, Spain	82,535	75
190	Volos, Greece	82,439	80
191	Grosseto, Italy	82,087	81
192	Aveiro, Portugal	80,978	82
193	Vila do Conde, Portugal	80,831	73
194	Varese, Italy	80,511	103
195	Vlore, Albania	79,513	57
196	Ostia, Italy	79,400	85
197	Manresa, Spain	78,877	70
198	Elbasan, Albania	78,703	47
199	Como, Italy	78,680	107
200	Nis, Serbia	78,470	52
201	Fiumicino, Italy	78,395	84
202	Barreiro, Portugal	78,359	86
203	Gandia, Spain	78,108	66
204	Shkoder, Albania	77,075	46
205	Estepona, Spain	76,975	94
206	Alcala de Guadaira, Spain	76,547	80
207	Palencia, Spain	76,331	80
208	Caserta, Italy	76,330	77
209	Benalmadena, Spain	75,801	93
210	Osijek, Croatia	75,535	67

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.