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
361	Geleen, Netherlands	31,970	121
362	Ijmuiden, Netherlands	31,307	126
363	Sint-Pieters-Leeuw, Belgium	31,000	105
364	Nienburg, Germany	30,677	77
365	Mont-de-Marsan, France	30,674	83
366	Best, Netherlands	29,988	113
367	La Garenne-Colombes, France	29,932	91
368	Chatou, France	29,649	95
369	Waterloo, Belgium	29,649	122
370	Bregenz, Austria	29,620	115
371	Bourgoin-Jallieu, France	29,577	81
372	Perigueux, France	29,516	81
373	Guyancourt, France	29,406	108
374	Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland	29,406	195
375	Zug, Switzerland	29,251	222
376	Culemborg, Netherlands	28,955	165
377	Arlon, Belgium	28,759	105
378	Dietikon, Switzerland	27,904	178
379	Goes, Netherlands	27,495	124
380	Nivelles, Belgium	27,488	99
381	Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm, Germany	27,318	99
382	Landsberg am Lech, Germany	27,140	91
383	Klosterneuburg, Austria	26,816	111
384	Rambouillet, France	26,816	94
385	Dubendorf, Switzerland	26,759	196
386	Rapperswil, Switzerland	26,354	165
387	Bergerac, France	26,323	89
388	Montreux, Switzerland	26,208	201
389	Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany	26,102	105
390	Kriens, Switzerland	25,932	178

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.