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
1	Berlin, Germany	3,769,962	$2,535	122
2	Paris, France	2,133,111	$2,686	130
3	Vienna, Austria	1,920,949	$2,277	110
4	Hamburg, Germany	1,812,709	$2,364	113
5	Munich, Germany	1,484,226	$2,717	129
6	Cologne, Germany	1,095,520	$2,226	107
7	Amsterdam, Netherlands	881,933	$3,592	170
8	Marseille, France	873,076	$2,045	98
9	Frankfurt, Germany	701,350	$2,543	122
10	Leipzig, Germany	628,718	$1,947	92
11	Dusseldorf, Germany	618,128	$2,333	111
12	Stuttgart, Germany	613,392	$2,263	108
13	Dortmund, Germany	600,933	$2,066	98
14	Rotterdam, Netherlands	572,392	$3,138	150
15	Essen, Germany	569,884	$2,002	95
16	The Hague, Netherlands	562,839	$2,748	132
17	Dresden, Germany	556,780	$1,946	93
18	Hanover, Germany	555,372	$2,014	96
19	Bremen, Germany	551,767	$1,991	96
20	Nuremberg, Germany	526,091	$1,997	96
21	Antwerp, Belgium	525,935	$2,211	106
22	Lyon, France	522,250	$2,022	97
23	Toulouse, France	504,078	$2,023	96
24	Duisburg, Germany	486,855	$2,027	97
25	Zurich, Switzerland	443,037	$4,274	205
26	Bochum, Germany	371,075	$1,835	87
27	Utrecht, Netherlands	367,947	$2,939	142
28	Wuppertal, Germany	361,077	$2,002	96
29	Corsica, France	355,528	$1,823	88
30	Nice, France	348,085	$2,281	110

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.