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	132
332	Wiener Neustadt, Austria	38,481	111
333	Chartres, France	38,447	82
334	Steyr, Austria	38,344	99
335	Braine-l'Alleud, Belgium	38,000	99
336	Annemasse, France	37,918	92
337	Sittard, Netherlands	37,534	127
338	Fribourg, Switzerland	37,485	166
339	Brasschaat, Belgium	37,190	104
340	Chur, Switzerland	37,082	156
341	Thonon-les-Bains, France	37,027	88
342	Uden, Netherlands	36,315	130
343	Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg	36,218	152
344	Meppen, Niedersachsen, Germany	35,935	102
345	Schaffhausen, Switzerland	35,927	159
346	Feldkirch, Austria	35,793	122
347	Auxerre, France	34,778	92
348	Fürstenfeldbruck, Germany	34,648	103
349	Sion, Switzerland	34,599	143
350	Vernier, Switzerland	34,477	178
351	Saarlouis, Germany	34,354	96
352	Limburg an der Lahn, Germany	34,255	86
353	Zweibruecken, Germany	34,084	104
354	Neuchatel, Switzerland	33,641	169
355	Tuttlingen, Germany	33,394	95
356	Bussum, Netherlands	33,220	136
357	Geraardsbergen, Belgium	33,204	100
358	Uster, Switzerland	33,097	194
359	Crailsheim, Germany	32,960	88
360	Agen, France	32,485	83

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.