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
211	Aviles, Spain	75,518	64
212	Ciudad Real, Spain	75,303	55
213	Queluz, Portugal	75,169	82
214	Kumanovo, North Macedonia	75,051	38
215	Bitola, North Macedonia	74,550	41
216	Tuzla, Bosnia And Herzegovina	74,475	42
217	Chalandri, Greece	74,192	68
218	Ragusa, Italy	73,735	76
219	Pancevo, Serbia	73,401	54
220	Benidorm, Spain	72,342	85
221	Novi Pazar, Serbia	71,462	50
222	Cremona, Italy	71,336	74
223	Asti, Italy	71,276	76
224	Pavia, Italy	71,214	88
225	Sesvete, Croatia	70,800	72
226	Gela, Italy	70,735	58
227	Lamezia Terme, Italy	70,714	76
228	Carpi, Italy	70,699	81
229	Zenica, Bosnia And Herzegovina	70,533	40
230	Torremolinos, Spain	70,434	74
231	Altamura, Italy	70,396	81
232	Sagunto, Spain	70,128	77
233	Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Andalucía, Spain	69,805	68
234	Imola, Italy	69,797	83
235	L'Aquila, Italy	69,753	74
236	Penafiel, Portugal	69,630	72
237	Cacak, Serbia	69,598	50
238	Massa, Italy	69,479	75
239	Vilanova i la Geltru, Spain	68,854	80
240	Castelldefels, Spain	68,427	90

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update: August 25, 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.