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
1	Berlin, Germany	3,769,962	123
2	Paris, France	2,133,111	132
3	Vienna, Austria	1,920,949	115
4	Hamburg, Germany	1,812,709	123
5	Munich, Germany	1,484,226	142
6	Cologne, Germany	1,095,520	120
7	Amsterdam, Netherlands	881,933	175
8	Marseille, France	873,076	102
9	Frankfurt, Germany	701,350	134
10	Leipzig, Germany	628,718	99
11	Dusseldorf, Germany	618,128	123
12	Stuttgart, Germany	613,392	126
13	Dortmund, Germany	600,933	107
14	Rotterdam, Netherlands	572,392	147
15	Essen, Germany	569,884	104
16	The Hague, Netherlands	562,839	143
17	Dresden, Germany	556,780	98
18	Hanover, Germany	555,372	109
19	Bremen, Germany	551,767	100
20	Nuremberg, Germany	526,091	104
21	Antwerp, Belgium	525,935	111
22	Lyon, France	522,250	108
23	Toulouse, France	504,078	100
24	Duisburg, Germany	486,855	103
25	Zurich, Switzerland	443,037	215
26	Bochum, Germany	371,075	98
27	Utrecht, Netherlands	367,947	150
28	Wuppertal, Germany	361,077	89
29	Nice, France	348,085	113
30	Bonn, Germany	335,913	112

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.