Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Portsmouth Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Portsmouth

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,764 per month in Edinburgh vs $2,564 in Portsmouth, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,108 per month in Edinburgh vs $3,733 in Portsmouth, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,452 per month in Edinburgh vs $4,903 in Portsmouth, rent included.

Edinburgh costs about 8% more than Portsmouth, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Edinburgh and Portsmouth sit above the global median – Edinburgh by 106%, Portsmouth by 91%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.62 £15.33

$23.55 £17.51

-12.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 £74.6

$87.1 £64.8

15.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.00 £7.43

$9.13 £6.79

9.53%

Cappuccino

$5.22 £3.88

$4.59 £3.41

13.73%

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

$2.52 £1.87

$2.17 £1.61

16.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 £1.51

$1.74 £1.30

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.53 £5.60

$5.87 £4.37

28.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.80 £5.06

$6.14 £4.56

10.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 £1.27

$1.57 £1.17

8.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 £1.28

$1.57 £1.16

10.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 £1.55

$2.75 £2.05

-24.36%

Eggs

$4.32 £3.22

$3.18 £2.37

35.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.17 £9.05

$8.95 £6.65

35.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.44 £7.77

$7.53 £5.60

38.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.84 £14.01

$15.10 £11.23

24.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 £2.31

$4.28 £3.18

-27.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 £1.10

$2.32 £1.72

-36.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.17 £3.10

$3.00 £2.23

39.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.65 £3.46

$4.79 £3.56

-2.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 £1.29

$1.23 £0.92

41.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 £1.10

$1.73 £1.29

-14.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 £0.87

$1.10 £0.82

7.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 £0.98

$1.92 £1.42

-31.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.32 £15.11

$16.98 £12.63

19.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.95 £8.14

$11.41 £8.48

-4.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 £1.87

$3.05 £2.27

-17.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 £2.52

$1.82 £1.36

86.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 £2.04

$3.49 £2.60

-21.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.2 £67.1

$89.4 £66.5

0.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.35 £3.98

$4.54 £3.37

17.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.02 £2.25

$1.81 £1.35

66.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.45 £31.56

$16.23 £12.07

161.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 £1.47

$1.94 £1.44

2.06%

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

$37.8K £28.1K

$39.1K £29.0K

-3.27%

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

$40.0K £29.7K

$40.3K £29.9K

-0.67%

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

$386 £287

$462 £344

-16.57%

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

$17.32 £12.88

$15.69 £11.66

10.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.86 £33.36

$41.59 £30.92

7.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.4 £41.18

$35.37 £26.30

56.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.05 £17.88

$20.48 £15.23

17.43%

Cinema Ticket

$14.69 £10.92

$10.68 £7.94

37.55%

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

$1,888 £1,404

$1,291 £960

46.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.9K £17.8K

$18.0K £13.4K

33.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.5

$86.0 £63.9

38.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.5 £41.29

$43.25 £32.16

28.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 £86.7

$89.0 £66.1

31.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 £93.0

$136 £101

-7.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,615 £1,200

$1,366 £1,015

18.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,214 £903

$1,071 £796

13.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,107 £2,310

$1,935 £1,438

60.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,221 £1,651

$1,717 £1,277

29.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,672 £4,960

$4,477 £3,329

49.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,747 £3,529

$3,729 £2,773

27.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,502 £2,603

$3,508 £2,608

-0.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.63

5.9

-4.58%

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

Last update for Edinburgh: June 7, 2026

Last update for Portsmouth: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,615 in Edinburgh versus $1,366 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 0% higher in Portsmouth, 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 $100 in Edinburgh versus $87.0 in Portsmouth. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $312 – making Portsmouth the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Edinburgh vs Portsmouth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Edinburgh is pricier by about 8%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,145 per month in Edinburgh and $3,846 in Portsmouth. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Portsmouth, 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 $100 in Edinburgh 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 $2,764 in Edinburgh and $2,564 in Portsmouth. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,764 in Edinburgh and $2,564 in Portsmouth. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Portsmouth – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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