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
151	Emmen, Netherlands	108,765	$1,883	91
152	Caen, France	108,200	$1,686	80
153	Winterthur, Switzerland	108,044	$3,579	172
154	Trier, Germany	107,233	$2,248	107
155	Mulhouse, France	106,341	$1,766	85
156	Delft, Netherlands	106,086	$2,930	139
157	Moers, Germany	105,102	$1,329	64
158	Nancy, France	104,260	$1,702	82
159	Gütersloh, Germany	103,603	$2,042	98
160	Venlo, Netherlands	103,328	$2,430	117
161	Deventer, Netherlands	102,781	$2,512	113
162	Leuven, Belgium	102,275	$2,250	107
163	Hildesheim, Germany	101,744	$2,350	113
164	Cottbus, Germany	101,036	$1,514	72
165	Klagenfurt, Austria	100,316	$2,089	99
166	Siegen, Germany	99,403	$1,748	84
167	Tourcoing, France	99,011	$1,873	89
168	Roubaix, France	98,892	$1,880	89
169	Schwerin, Germany	98,596	$1,542	74
170	Witten, Germany	97,986	$1,961	94
171	Nanterre, France	97,351	$2,454	118
172	Kaiserslautern, Germany	97,162	$2,170	104
173	Iserlohn, Germany	94,536	$1,875	90
174	Hilversum, Netherlands	93,345	$2,844	136
175	Zwickau, Germany	93,128	$1,410	67
176	Gera, Germany	93,125	$1,508	72
177	Flensburg, Germany	93,112	$1,749	85
178	Mons, Belgium	92,721	$2,017	96
179	Leeuwarden, Netherlands	91,992	$2,403	115
180	Amstelveen, Netherlands	91,675	$3,000	142

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.