Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Portsmouth Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Portsmouth

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,651 per month in Manchester vs $2,561 in Portsmouth, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,871 per month in Manchester vs $3,682 in Portsmouth, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,091 per month in Manchester vs $4,803 in Portsmouth, rent included.

Manchester costs about 4% more than Portsmouth, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Manchester and Portsmouth sit above the global median – Manchester by 98%, Portsmouth by 91%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.74 £15.42

$22.64 £16.83

-8.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.5 £70.2

$87.1 £64.7

8.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 £7.99

$8.78 £6.53

22.44%

Cappuccino

$4.94 £3.67

$4.46 £3.32

10.76%

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

$2.59 £1.92

$2.19 £1.63

18.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 £1.26

$1.73 £1.29

-1.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.41 £5.51

$5.84 £4.34

26.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.52 £5.59

$6.17 £4.58

21.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 £1.21

$1.66 £1.23

-2.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 £1.34

$1.55 £1.15

16.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 £1.60

$2.86 £2.13

-24.48%

Eggs

$4.08 £3.03

$3.30 £2.46

23.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.05 £8.95

$8.47 £6.30

42.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.75 £7.25

$7.32 £5.44

33.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.39 £12.93

$15.21 £11.31

14.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 £2.46

$4.33 £3.22

-23.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 £1.37

$2.30 £1.71

-20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.82 £2.84

$3.03 £2.25

26.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 £3.23

$4.67 £3.47

-6.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 £1.56

$1.22 £0.90

72.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 £1.34

$1.64 £1.22

9.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 £0.97

$1.04 £0.77

25.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 £1.10

$1.85 £1.38

-20.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.73 £13.92

$17.24 £12.81

8.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 £7.91

$11.26 £8.37

-5.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 £1.91

$3.02 £2.25

-14.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 £2.60

$1.81 £1.35

92.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 £2.04

$3.43 £2.55

-19.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 £90.1

$90.7 £67.4

33.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.49 £4.08

$4.48 £3.33

22.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.85 £2.12

$1.73 £1.29

64.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.28 £25.48

$16.16 £12.01

112.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 £1.46

$1.90 £1.41

3.16%

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

$37.8K £28.1K

$38.8K £28.8K

-2.55%

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

$41.8K £31.1K

$40.4K £30.0K

3.44%

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

$295 £219

$453 £337

-34.92%

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

$22.44 £16.68

$15.24 £11.33

47.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.92 £31.90

$41.64 £30.95

3.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.39 £31.51

$35.26 £26.21

20.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.07 £11.94

$20.02 £14.88

-19.73%

Cinema Ticket

$13.72 £10.19

$11.05 £8.22

24.16%

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

$1,944 £1,445

$1,296 £963

49.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K £15.5K

$18.5K £13.7K

12.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.6 £67.4

$84.4 £62.7

7.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.85 £31.11

$42.07 £31.27

-0.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 £66.5

$87.9 £65.4

1.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 £78.9

$135 £100

-21.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,637 £1,217

$1,369 £1,018

19.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 £934

$1,062 £790

18.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,702 £2,009

$1,970 £1,465

37.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,077 £1,544

$1,752 £1,302

18.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,107 £3,796

$4,670 £3,472

9.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,671 £3,472

$3,850 £2,862

21.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,247 £2,414

$3,441 £2,557

-5.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

5.9

0.34%

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

Last update for Manchester: May 31, 2026

Last update for Portsmouth: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,637 in Manchester 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 6% 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 $94.0 in Manchester versus $87.0 in Portsmouth. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $335 vs $310 – 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

Manchester vs Portsmouth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Manchester is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,977 per month in Manchester 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 Portsmouth, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,944 per month in Manchester and $1,296 in Portsmouth. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Manchester, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Portsmouth, where all-in costs run around $2,561, than in Manchester at $2,651. In Portsmouth it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manchester it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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