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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,637 per month in Manchester vs $2,803 in Portsmouth, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,830 per month in Manchester vs $3,820 in Portsmouth, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,024 per month in Manchester vs $4,836 in Portsmouth, rent included.

Manchester is about 6% cheaper than Portsmouth, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Manchester and Portsmouth sit above the global median – Manchester by 91%, Portsmouth by 103%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.56 £15.18

$19.65 £14.50

4.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.0 £69.4

$66.5 £49.05

41.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.03 £8.14

$10.35 £7.64

6.57%

Cappuccino

$4.82 £3.56

$4.90 £3.62

-1.63%

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

$2.53 £1.87

$2.83 £2.09

-10.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 £1.28

$2.25 £1.66

-23.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.18 £6.04

$6.50 £4.80

25.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.84 £5.05

$6.04 £4.46

13.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 £1.07

$1.44 £1.07

0.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 £1.36

$1.59 £1.17

15.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 £1.42

$3.77 £2.78

-48.81%

Eggs

$3.99 £2.95

$3.39 £2.50

17.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.53 £7.03

$13.79 £10.18

-30.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.96 £6.61

$8.51 £6.28

5.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.76 £11.64

$13.58 £10.03

16.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 £2.37

$4.16 £3.07

-22.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 £1.19

$1.92 £1.42

-16.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 £2.22

$2.92 £2.15

3.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.42 £2.52

$3.25 £2.40

5.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 £1.11

$1.60 £1.18

-6.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 £0.98

$1.65 £1.22

-19.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 £0.95

$1.17 £0.86

10.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 £0.96

$1.56 £1.15

-16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.36 £17.98

$22.98 £16.96

6.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.88 £8.03

$11.47 £8.47

-5.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 £1.82

$3.13 £2.31

-21.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 £2.27

$2.12 £1.57

45.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.68 £1.98

$4.15 £3.06

-35.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 £80.3

$89.1 £65.8

21.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.64 £3.42

$5.54 £4.09

-16.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.16 £1.60

$1.63 £1.20

32.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.39 £22.43

$20.41 £15.07

48.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 £1.54

$2.00 £1.48

4.50%

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

$39.5K £29.2K

0.02%

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

$41.6K £30.7K

$41.3K £30.5K

0.74%

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

$292 £216

$677 £499

-56.77%

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

$16.65 £12.29

$15.07 £11.13

10.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.66 £29.28

$43.68 £32.24

-9.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 £40.10

$39.88 £29.44

36.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.86 £13.92

$17.75 £13.10

6.25%

Cinema Ticket

$13.54 £9.99

$10.82 £7.98

25.14%

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

$1,309 £967

$1,278 £944

2.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.0K £14.7K

$20.1K £14.8K

-0.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.1 £65.0

$93.8 £69.2

-6.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.59 £30.71

$40.50 £29.90

2.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.3 £70.4

$102 £75.0

-6.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 £78.6

$122 £90.1

-12.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,816 £1,340

$1,507 £1,112

20.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 £956

$1,123 £829

15.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,067 £2,264

$2,105 £1,554

45.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 £1,491

$1,758 £1,298

14.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,729 £3,491

$4,628 £3,416

2.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,465 £3,296

$3,784 £2,793

18.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,446 £2,544

$3,555 £2,624

-3.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.87

5.16

-5.62%

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

Last update for Manchester: September 6, 2026

Last update for Portsmouth: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,816 in Manchester versus $1,507 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 3% higher in Portsmouth, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $94.0 in Manchester versus $66.0 in Portsmouth. Groceries tell a different story – $300 in Manchester vs $318 in Portsmouth – so Manchester 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

Manchester vs Portsmouth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Portsmouth is pricier by about 6%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,955 per month in Manchester and $4,205 in Portsmouth. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,309 per month in Manchester and $1,278 in Portsmouth. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Portsmouth, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,637 in Manchester and $2,803 in Portsmouth. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Manchester – 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 Manchester. 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.