Cost of Living Comparison Between Aurora, IL and Portsmouth Cost of Living Comparison Between Aurora, IL and Portsmouth

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,112 per month in Aurora, IL vs $2,561 in Portsmouth, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,464 per month in Aurora, IL vs $3,682 in Portsmouth, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,815 per month in Aurora, IL vs $4,803 in Portsmouth, rent included.

Aurora, IL is about 18% cheaper than Portsmouth, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Aurora, IL and Portsmouth sit above the global median – Aurora, IL by 58%, Portsmouth by 91%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.24 $15.24

$22.64 £16.83

-32.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.8 $61.8

$87.1 £64.7

-29.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.05 $11.05

$8.78 £6.53

25.85%

Cappuccino

$5.25 $5.25

$4.46 £3.32

17.71%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.19 £1.63

20.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.73 £1.29

30.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.09 $5.09

$5.84 £4.34

-12.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 $6.82

$6.17 £4.58

10.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.66 £1.23

-51.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 $3.39

$1.55 £1.15

118.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.05 $5.05

$2.86 £2.13

76.57%

Eggs

$4.12 $4.12

$3.30 £2.46

24.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.28 $7.28

$8.47 £6.30

-14.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.54 $12.54

$7.32 £5.44

71.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.17 $14.17

$15.21 £11.31

-6.84%

Apples (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$4.33 £3.22

4.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$2.30 £1.71

-31.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.70 $3.70

$3.03 £2.25

22.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.16 $3.16

$4.67 £3.47

-32.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.22 £0.90

54.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.68 $2.68

$1.64 £1.22

63.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.04 £0.77

79.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.85 £1.38

-15.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.71 $8.71

$17.24 £12.81

-49.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.80 $13.80

$11.26 £8.37

22.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$3.02 £2.25

-26.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.81 £1.35

30.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.21 $2.21

$3.43 £2.55

-35.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$102 $102

$90.7 £67.4

12.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.63 $4.63

$4.48 £3.33

3.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.73 £1.29

0.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.31 $42.31

$16.16 £12.01

161.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.90 £1.41

-47.37%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$24.1K $24.1K

$38.8K £28.8K

-37.87%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.5K $25.5K

$40.4K £30.0K

-36.78%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$176 $176

$453 £337

-61.09%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$51.1 $51.1

$15.24 £11.33

235.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.5 $65.5

$41.64 £30.95

57.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.43 $35.43

$35.26 £26.21

0.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.02 £14.88

Cinema Ticket

$11.15 $11.15

$11.05 £8.22

0.90%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,331 $1,331

$1,296 £963

2.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.7K $24.7K

$18.5K £13.7K

33.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.39 $49.39

$84.4 £62.7

-41.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.60 $47.60

$42.07 £31.27

13.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.7 $68.7

$87.9 £65.4

-21.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.5 $79.5

$135 £100

-41.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,384 $1,384

$1,369 £1,018

1.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$888 $888

$1,062 £790

-16.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,140 $2,140

$1,970 £1,465

8.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,222 $2,222

$1,752 £1,302

26.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,745 $9,745

$4,670 £3,472

108.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,214 $3,214

$3,850 £2,862

-16.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,897 $3,897

$3,441 £2,557

13.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.52

5.9

10.51%

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

Last update for Aurora, IL: May 30, 2026

Last update for Portsmouth: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,384 in Aurora, IL versus $1,369 in Portsmouth. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 13% higher in Aurora, IL, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Aurora, IL versus $87.0 in Portsmouth. Groceries tell a different story – $349 in Aurora, IL vs $310 in Portsmouth – so Portsmouth wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Aurora, IL vs Portsmouth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Portsmouth costs about 21% more than Aurora, IL, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,168 per month in Aurora, IL and $3,842 in Portsmouth. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Aurora, IL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Aurora, IL and $87.0 in Portsmouth. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,112 in Aurora, IL and $2,561 in Portsmouth. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Aurora, IL, where all-in costs run around $2,112, than in Portsmouth at $2,561. In Aurora, IL it covers expenses comfortably, while in Portsmouth it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Aurora, IL costs $2,112 versus $2,561 in Portsmouth. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Aurora, IL. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Portsmouth makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.