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
91	Amersfoort, Netherlands	160,759	129
92	Dijon, France	159,346	84
93	Neuss, Germany	159,122	99
94	Grenoble, France	157,477	92
95	Angers, France	157,175	100
96	Villeurbanne, France	156,928	91
97	Herne, Germany	156,449	98
98	Heidelberg, Germany	152,113	114
99	Salzburg, Austria	152,083	128
100	Paderborn, Germany	151,633	88
101	Breda, Netherlands	150,008	115
102	Nimes, France	148,104	84
103	Aix-en-Provence, France	147,478	104
104	Clermont-Ferrand, France	147,327	79
105	Le Mans, France	145,004	79
106	Regensburg, Germany	145,000	93
107	Brest, France	139,619	69
108	Tours, France	137,658	76
109	Offenbach, Germany	136,824	95
110	Goettingen, Germany	135,460	89
111	Amiens, France	133,625	78
112	Lausanne, Switzerland	133,521	177
113	Zwolle, Netherlands	132,411	108
114	Annecy, France	131,715	104
115	Innsbruck, Austria	130,585	125
116	Wuerzburg, Germany	130,000	107
117	Limoges, France	129,760	75
118	Bern, Switzerland	128,848	159
119	Ingolstadt, Germany	127,886	100
120	Leiden, Netherlands	127,089	135

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

Last update: August 25, 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.