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
31	Bonn, Germany	335,913	$2,333	111
32	Graz, Austria	331,359	$2,217	106
33	Bielefeld, Germany	328,012	$1,926	93
34	Nantes, France	323,204	$1,972	95
35	Munster, Germany	314,332	$2,299	110
36	Mannheim, Germany	310,000	$2,072	99
37	Montpellier, France	302,454	$1,961	94
38	Wiesbaden, Germany	299,946	$2,384	114
39	Strasbourg, France	291,313	$2,192	106
40	Augsburg, Germany	286,374	$2,257	109
41	Karlsruhe, Germany	283,959	$2,394	115
42	Gelsenkirchen, Germany	270,107	$1,897	91
43	Bordeaux, France	261,804	$2,139	103
44	Moenchengladbach, Germany	255,430	$2,231	108
45	Braunschweig, Germany	253,167	$1,710	82
46	Kiel, Germany	246,306	$1,996	95
47	Eindhoven, Netherlands	243,730	$2,782	134
48	Chemnitz, Germany	243,089	$1,840	88
49	Aachen, Germany	241,683	$1,946	94
50	Gent, Belgium	237,000	$2,298	110
51	Lille, France	236,710	$1,954	93
52	Halle, Germany	231,565	$1,553	75
53	Magdeburg, Germany	231,021	$1,787	86
54	Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany	230,219	$2,130	102
55	Tilburg, Netherlands	227,707	$2,575	122
56	Rennes, France	225,081	$1,853	88
57	Almere, Netherlands	222,825	$2,734	131
58	Krefeld, Germany	222,058	$1,965	94
59	Erfurt, Germany	215,000	$2,247	108
60	Lübeck, Germany	212,958	$2,135	102

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update: November 10, 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.