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
391	Herzogenaurach, Germany	25,835	97
392	Aurillac, France	25,815	92
393	Vichy, France	25,789	68
394	Biarritz, France	25,764	100
395	Saintes, France	25,518	82
396	Les Ulis, France	25,253	94
397	Wolfsberg, Austria	25,045	106
398	Baden, Austria	25,000	104
399	Bethune, France	24,992	83
400	Frauenfeld, Switzerland	24,864	148
401	Bad Honnef, Germany	24,845	95
402	Leoben, Austria	24,645	99
403	Baar, Switzerland	23,557	182
404	Kapfenberg, Austria	23,004	87
405	Lisse, Netherlands	22,995	121
406	Manosque, France	22,926	88
407	Kleve, Germany	22,643	90
408	Bad Mergentheim, Germany	22,505	91
409	Husum, Germany	22,430	88
410	Annaberg-Buchholz, Germany	22,248	108
411	Aarau, Switzerland	21,191	132
412	Acheres, France	21,000	84
413	Riehen, Switzerland	20,970	160
414	Voiron, France	20,891	87
415	Kreuzlingen, Switzerland	20,846	161
416	Tervuren, Belgium	20,816	97
417	Le Creusot, France	20,731	80
418	Lannion, France	20,344	84
419	Beveren, Belgium	20,078	100
420	Traunstein, Germany	20,000	93

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.