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
61	Mainz, Germany	209,779	$2,205	106
62	Oberhausen, Germany	209,292	$2,048	98
63	Rostock, Germany	207,830	$1,752	84
64	Linz, Austria	207,812	$2,107	101
65	Kassel, Germany	204,021	$2,075	99
66	Charleroi, Belgium	202,730	$2,037	98
67	Groningen, Netherlands	201,242	$2,378	113
68	Liege, Belgium	197,013	$2,112	101
69	Geneva, Switzerland	191,557	$4,213	201
70	Cherbourg, France	188,335	$1,738	83
71	Brussels, Belgium	188,137	$2,584	124
72	Hagen, Germany	186,000	$1,900	91
73	Toulon, France	180,452	$1,850	88
74	Hamm, Germany	180,000	$2,074	102
75	Reims, France	179,380	$1,817	87
76	Potsdam, Germany	178,089	$2,155	104
77	Nijmegen, Netherlands	177,359	$2,625	127
78	Saarbrucken, Germany	177,201	$1,695	81
79	Basel, Switzerland	174,491	$3,703	177
80	Saint-Etienne, France	172,718	$1,472	70
81	Darmstadt, Germany	169,255	$2,285	109
82	Osnabruck, Germany	169,108	$1,950	93
83	Apeldoorn, Netherlands	167,191	$2,562	123
84	Muelheim an der Ruhr, Germany	167,108	$2,453	118
85	Le Havre, France	166,058	$1,407	67
86	Arnhem, Netherlands	165,770	$2,613	125
87	Haarlem, Netherlands	165,396	$3,243	157
88	Solingen, Germany	164,205	$2,019	97
89	Oldenburg, Germany	163,830	$1,948	93
90	Ludwigshafen, Germany	163,340	$1,857	89

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.