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
421	Frauenfeld, Switzerland	24,864	$3,154	152
422	Bad Honnef, Germany	24,845	$1,997	96
423	Leoben, Austria	24,645	$2,206	106
424	Mortsel, Belgium	24,525	$2,143	102
425	Zottegem, Belgium	24,434	$2,107	100
426	Baar, Switzerland	23,557	$3,824	183
427	Kapfenberg, Austria	23,004	$2,248	108
428	Lisse, Netherlands	22,995	$2,689	122
429	Manosque, France	22,926	$1,855	89
430	Kleve, Germany	22,643	$1,872	90
431	Diest, Belgium	22,516	$2,088	100
432	Bad Mergentheim, Germany	22,505	$1,924	92
433	Husum, Germany	22,430	$1,896	91
434	Annaberg-Buchholz, Germany	22,248	$2,209	106
435	Aarau, Switzerland	21,191	$2,819	135
436	Acheres, France	21,000	$1,840	88
437	Riehen, Switzerland	20,970	$3,548	171
438	Voiron, France	20,891	$1,858	89
439	Kreuzlingen, Switzerland	20,846	$3,655	175
440	Tervuren, Belgium	20,816	$2,074	99
441	Le Creusot, France	20,731	$1,693	81
442	Lannion, France	20,344	$1,796	86
443	Beveren, Belgium	20,078	$2,147	102
444	Traunstein, Germany	20,000	$1,972	94
445	Albertville, France	19,812	$1,809	87
446	Nyon, Switzerland	19,738	$4,121	199
447	Someren, Netherlands	19,368	$2,550	122
448	Scheveningen, Netherlands	19,335	$2,527	121
449	Kufstein, Austria	19,223	$2,339	111
450	Vevey, Switzerland	19,220	$3,294	158

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.