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	$1,500	72
182	Fuengirola, Spain	85,598	$1,773	84
183	Prizren, Kosovo	85,119	$787	38
184	Ilion, Greece	84,793	$1,600	76
185	Treviso, Italy	83,731	$2,007	95
186	Busto Arsizio, Italy	83,094	$1,827	88
187	Torres Vedras, Portugal	83,075	$1,907	92
188	Ceuta, Spain	83,039	$1,489	71
189	Pontevedra, Spain	82,535	$1,461	70
190	Volos, Greece	82,439	$1,475	71
191	Grosseto, Italy	82,087	$1,586	77
192	Aveiro, Portugal	80,978	$1,686	81
193	Vila do Conde, Portugal	80,831	$1,378	66
194	Varese, Italy	80,511	$2,044	99
195	Vlore, Albania	79,513	$1,184	57
196	Ostia, Italy	79,400	$1,787	86
197	Manresa, Spain	78,877	$1,239	60
198	Elbasan, Albania	78,703	$887	43
199	Como, Italy	78,680	$1,851	89
200	Nis, Serbia	78,470	$1,049	50
201	Fiumicino, Italy	78,395	$1,771	84
202	Barreiro, Portugal	78,359	$1,642	80
203	Gandia, Spain	78,108	$1,271	61
204	Shkoder, Albania	77,075	$976	47
205	Estepona, Spain	76,975	$1,808	87
206	Alcala de Guadaira, Spain	76,547	$1,561	75
207	Palencia, Spain	76,331	$1,501	71
208	Caserta, Italy	76,330	$1,462	70
209	Benalmadena, Spain	75,801	$1,829	88
210	Osijek, Croatia	75,535	$1,460	70

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.