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
331	Zutphen, Netherlands	38,642	118
332	Wiener Neustadt, Austria	38,481	107
333	Chartres, France	38,447	82
334	Steyr, Austria	38,344	99
335	Braine-l'Alleud, Belgium	38,000	101
336	Annemasse, France	37,918	86
337	Sittard, Netherlands	37,534	118
338	Fribourg, Switzerland	37,485	157
339	Brasschaat, Belgium	37,190	101
340	Chur, Switzerland	37,082	153
341	Thonon-les-Bains, France	37,027	85
342	Uden, Netherlands	36,315	119
343	Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg	36,218	136
344	Meppen, Niedersachsen, Germany	35,935	92
345	Schaffhausen, Switzerland	35,927	148
346	Feldkirch, Austria	35,793	118
347	Auxerre, France	34,778	86
348	Fürstenfeldbruck, Germany	34,648	95
349	Sion, Switzerland	34,599	154
350	Vernier, Switzerland	34,477	160
351	Saarlouis, Germany	34,354	83
352	Limburg an der Lahn, Germany	34,255	80
353	Zweibruecken, Germany	34,084	93
354	Neuchatel, Switzerland	33,641	154
355	Tuttlingen, Germany	33,394	86
356	Bussum, Netherlands	33,220	121
357	Geraardsbergen, Belgium	33,204	96
358	Uster, Switzerland	33,097	173
359	Crailsheim, Germany	32,960	89
360	Agen, France	32,485	83

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.