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
301	Etten-Leur, Netherlands	43,027	122
302	Valenciennes, France	42,991	78
303	Chateauroux, France	42,968	94
304	Bruchsal, Germany	42,911	109
305	Melun, France	42,367	88
306	Thionville, France	42,163	97
307	Tiel, Netherlands	42,159	131
308	Amberg, Germany	42,000	80
309	Kaufbeuren, Germany	41,759	98
310	Beverwijk, Netherlands	41,626	118
311	Coburg, Germany	41,405	90
312	Heist-op-den-Berg, Belgium	41,365	109
313	Huizen, Netherlands	41,273	131
314	Roermond, Netherlands	41,225	102
315	Ansbach, Germany	41,159	92
316	Angouleme, France	41,086	84
317	Freiberg, Germany	41,031	82
318	Geel, Belgium	40,781	103
319	Vilvoorde, Belgium	40,558	102
320	Compiegne, France	40,394	95
321	Sint-Truiden, Belgium	40,357	107
322	Middelburg, Netherlands	40,345	123
323	Poissy, France	40,016	90
324	Wageningen, Netherlands	39,664	142
325	Douai, France	39,648	84
326	Waregem, Belgium	39,488	105
327	Monaco, Monaco	39,050	544
328	La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland	39,027	156
329	Ilmenau, Germany	39,000	105
330	Erding, Germany	38,644	104

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.