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
241	Vilanova i la Geltru, Spain	68,854	$1,683	80
242	Castelldefels, Spain	68,427	$1,880	91
243	Faro, Portugal	67,650	$1,907	91
244	Zadar, Croatia	67,309	$1,695	81
245	Ponta Delgada, Portugal	67,233	$1,661	80
246	Viterbo, Italy	67,173	$1,750	84
247	Zrenjanin, Serbia	67,129	$978	47
248	Castellammare di Stabia, Italy	66,929	$1,699	81
249	Vranje, Serbia	66,843	$1,352	64
250	Collado Villalba, Spain	65,657	$1,747	84
251	Lezhe, Albania	65,633	$1,025	49
252	Stip, North Macedonia	65,000	$805	39
253	Arrecife, Spain	64,826	$1,816	87
254	Povoa de Varzim, Portugal	64,257	$1,699	82
255	Palaio Faliro, Athens, Greece	64,021	$1,725	82
256	Ferrol, Spain	63,890	$1,394	67
257	La Linea de la Concepcion, Spain	63,773	$1,501	72
258	Cosenza, Italy	63,693	$1,380	66
259	Uzice, Serbia	63,571	$991	48
260	Prilep, North Macedonia	63,308	$731	35
261	Carrara, Italy	63,133	$1,739	83
262	Pomezia, Italy	62,966	$1,673	80
263	Viareggio, Italy	62,467	$1,691	81
264	Trikala, Greece	61,653	$1,348	65
265	Savona, Italy	61,345	$1,786	86
266	Velika Gorica, Croatia	61,075	$1,588	76
267	Aranjuez, Spain	60,668	$1,589	77
268	Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina	60,195	$911	44
269	Benevento, Italy	60,091	$1,530	73
270	Legnano, Italy	60,000	$1,910	92

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.