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	$2,177	104
122	Leiden, Netherlands	127,089	$2,830	136
123	Zoetermeer, Netherlands	126,998	$2,349	112
124	Wolfsburg, Germany	122,457	$1,785	85
125	Luxembourg, Luxembourg	122,273	$3,572	170
126	Ede, Netherlands	122,012	$2,328	111
127	Ulm, Germany	121,648	$2,169	104
128	Dordrecht, Netherlands	121,434	$2,509	120
129	Metz, France	120,874	$1,852	89
130	Maastricht, Netherlands	120,105	$2,685	129
131	Boulogne-Billancourt, France	119,808	$2,721	131
132	Perpignan, France	119,656	$1,561	75
133	Besancon, France	119,198	$1,790	85
134	Heilbronn, Germany	118,122	$2,069	99
135	Pforzheim, Germany	117,754	$1,791	86
136	Brugge, Belgium	117,639	$2,129	103
137	Erlangen, Germany	117,466	$1,948	93
138	Bremerhaven, Germany	117,281	$1,972	95
139	Remscheid, Germany	116,827	$2,086	95
140	Orleans, France	116,617	$1,588	76
141	Bottrop, Germany	116,055	$1,854	88
142	Recklinghausen, Germany	115,320	$2,003	96
143	Rouen, France	114,083	$1,777	86
144	Namur, Belgium	113,174	$2,027	98
145	Reutlingen, Germany	112,099	$2,177	104
146	Alkmaar, Netherlands	111,834	$2,274	109
147	Jena, Germany	111,343	$1,834	87
148	Koblenz, Germany	110,643	$1,747	83
149	Bergisch Gladbach, Germany	109,425	$2,027	97
150	's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands	108,780	$2,432	116

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.