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
91	Enschede, Netherlands	161,235	$2,409	115
92	Leverkusen, Germany	160,819	$2,331	111
93	Amersfoort, Netherlands	160,759	$2,700	129
94	Dijon, France	159,346	$1,734	84
95	Neuss, Germany	159,122	$2,051	97
96	Grenoble, France	157,477	$1,954	93
97	Angers, France	157,175	$1,669	79
98	Villeurbanne, France	156,928	$1,941	93
99	Herne, Germany	156,449	$2,027	97
100	Heidelberg, Germany	152,113	$2,413	115
101	Salzburg, Austria	152,083	$2,715	130
102	Paderborn, Germany	151,633	$1,855	89
103	Breda, Netherlands	150,008	$2,469	118
104	Nimes, France	148,104	$1,777	85
105	Aix-en-Provence, France	147,478	$2,193	105
106	Clermont-Ferrand, France	147,327	$1,633	78
107	Le Mans, France	145,004	$1,582	76
108	Regensburg, Germany	145,000	$1,957	93
109	Brest, France	139,619	$1,398	67
110	Tours, France	137,658	$1,821	87
111	Offenbach, Germany	136,824	$2,008	97
112	Goettingen, Germany	135,460	$1,876	90
113	Amiens, France	133,625	$1,601	77
114	Lausanne, Switzerland	133,521	$3,832	184
115	Zwolle, Netherlands	132,411	$2,316	111
116	Annecy, France	131,715	$2,239	107
117	Innsbruck, Austria	130,585	$2,629	126
118	Wuerzburg, Germany	130,000	$2,246	107
119	Limoges, France	129,760	$1,594	76
120	Bern, Switzerland	128,848	$3,616	172

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.