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
61	Oberhausen, Germany	209,292	106
62	Rostock, Germany	207,830	89
63	Linz, Austria	207,812	106
64	Kassel, Germany	204,021	99
65	Charleroi, Belgium	202,730	95
66	Groningen, Netherlands	201,242	106
67	Liege, Belgium	197,013	105
68	Geneva, Switzerland	191,557	207
69	Cherbourg, France	188,335	76
70	Brussels, Belgium	188,137	128
71	Hagen, Germany	186,000	105
72	Toulon, France	180,452	86
73	Hamm, Germany	180,000	94
74	Reims, France	179,380	90
75	Potsdam, Germany	178,089	129
76	Saarbrucken, Germany	177,201	90
77	Basel, Switzerland	174,491	184
78	Saint-Etienne, France	172,718	76
79	Darmstadt, Germany	169,255	119
80	Osnabruck, Germany	169,108	88
81	Apeldoorn, Netherlands	167,191	129
82	Muelheim an der Ruhr, Germany	167,108	128
83	Le Havre, France	166,058	76
84	Arnhem, Netherlands	165,770	113
85	Haarlem, Netherlands	165,396	145
86	Solingen, Germany	164,205	108
87	Oldenburg, Germany	163,830	101
88	Ludwigshafen, Germany	163,340	93
89	Enschede, Netherlands	161,235	121
90	Leverkusen, Germany	160,819	123

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.