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
391	Culemborg, Netherlands	28,955	$3,234	156
392	Arlon, Belgium	28,759	$2,071	98
393	Rendsburg, Germany	28,323	$1,922	92
394	Dietikon, Switzerland	27,904	$3,492	171
395	Aarschot, Belgium	27,656	$1,986	95
396	Goes, Netherlands	27,495	$2,604	125
397	Nivelles, Belgium	27,488	$2,085	100
398	Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm, Germany	27,318	$1,905	91
399	Landsberg am Lech, Germany	27,140	$1,922	92
400	Wangen bei Göppingen, Germany	27,045	$2,025	97
401	Wangen im Allgäu, Germany	27,045	$2,004	96
402	Klosterneuburg, Austria	26,816	$2,160	104
403	Rambouillet, France	26,816	$1,792	86
404	Dubendorf, Switzerland	26,759	$3,771	179
405	Izegem, Belgium	26,382	$2,048	98
406	Rapperswil, Switzerland	26,354	$3,416	165
407	Bergerac, France	26,323	$1,824	88
408	Montreux, Switzerland	26,208	$3,585	170
409	Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany	26,102	$2,020	97
410	Kriens, Switzerland	25,932	$3,154	160
411	Herentals, Belgium	25,912	$2,190	105
412	Herzogenaurach, Germany	25,835	$2,038	98
413	Aurillac, France	25,815	$1,962	93
414	Vichy, France	25,789	$1,446	69
415	Biarritz, France	25,764	$2,092	101
416	Saintes, France	25,518	$1,796	86
417	Les Ulis, France	25,253	$1,980	95
418	Wolfsberg, Austria	25,045	$2,280	109
419	Baden, Austria	25,000	$1,351	65
420	Bethune, France	24,992	$1,757	84

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.