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
121	Ingolstadt, Germany	127,886	$2,169	103
122	Leiden, Netherlands	127,089	$2,855	135
123	Zoetermeer, Netherlands	126,998	$2,304	111
124	Wolfsburg, Germany	122,457	$1,774	85
125	Luxembourg, Luxembourg	122,273	$3,529	168
126	Ede, Netherlands	122,012	$2,485	118
127	Ulm, Germany	121,648	$2,150	103
128	Dordrecht, Netherlands	121,434	$2,640	126
129	Metz, France	120,874	$1,859	89
130	Maastricht, Netherlands	120,105	$2,656	128
131	Boulogne-Billancourt, France	119,808	$2,708	131
132	Perpignan, France	119,656	$1,561	75
133	Besancon, France	119,198	$1,762	84
134	Heilbronn, Germany	118,122	$2,068	99
135	Pforzheim, Germany	117,754	$1,786	85
136	Brugge, Belgium	117,639	$2,133	102
137	Erlangen, Germany	117,466	$1,947	93
138	Bremerhaven, Germany	117,281	$1,993	95
139	Remscheid, Germany	116,827	$1,999	95
140	Orleans, France	116,617	$1,607	76
141	Bottrop, Germany	116,055	$1,862	88
142	Recklinghausen, Germany	115,320	$1,993	95
143	Rouen, France	114,083	$1,770	85
144	Namur, Belgium	113,174	$2,049	97
145	Reutlingen, Germany	112,099	$2,298	110
146	Alkmaar, Netherlands	111,834	$2,375	113
147	Jena, Germany	111,343	$1,801	87
148	Koblenz, Germany	110,643	$1,793	86
149	Bergisch Gladbach, Germany	109,425	$2,016	97
150	's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands	108,780	$2,401	115

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.