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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,574 per month in Portsmouth vs $2,094 in Aurora, IL, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,644 per month in Portsmouth vs $3,430 in Aurora, IL, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,714 per month in Portsmouth vs $4,767 in Aurora, IL, rent included.

Portsmouth costs about 23% more than Aurora, IL, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Portsmouth and Aurora, IL sit above the global median – Portsmouth by 93%, Aurora, IL by 57%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.96 £17.07

$14.95 $14.95

53.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.8 £63.8

$63.0 $63.0

36.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.79 £6.53

$10.95 $10.95

-19.73%

Cappuccino

$4.46 £3.32

$5.18 $5.18

-13.90%

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

$2.21 £1.64

$2.76 $2.76

-19.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 £1.29

$2.25 $2.25

-22.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 £4.50

$5.05 $5.05

19.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.26 £4.65

$7.14 $7.14

-12.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 £1.21

$0.84 $0.84

94.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 £1.13

$3.57 $3.57

-57.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.86 £2.13

$4.85 $4.85

-41.03%

Eggs

$3.17 £2.36

$3.97 $3.97

-20.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.76 £6.51

$7.31 $7.31

19.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.35 £5.47

$12.85 $12.85

-42.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.07 £11.21

$13.97 $13.97

7.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.27 £3.18

$4.49 $4.49

-4.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 £1.62

$1.51 $1.51

45.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.06 £2.27

$3.90 $3.90

-21.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.85 £3.61

$3.15 $3.15

53.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 £0.92

$1.83 $1.83

-32.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 £1.23

$2.74 $2.74

-39.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 £0.81

$1.85 $1.85

-40.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 £1.38

$1.63 $1.63

14.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.38 £12.92

$8.64 $8.64

101.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.49 £8.54

$13.90 $13.90

-17.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.04 £2.26

$2.28 $2.28

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 £1.34

$2.29 $2.29

-20.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.46 £2.57

$2.31 $2.31

49.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.7 £66.7

$98.7 $98.7

-9.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.70 £3.49

$4.40 $4.40

6.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 £1.30

$1.75 $1.75

-0.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.44 £12.22

$41.65 $41.65

-60.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 £1.46

$0.98 $0.98

100.00%

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

$38.2K £28.4K

$24.4K $24.4K

56.59%

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

$40.7K £30.3K

$25.8K $25.8K

57.86%

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

$454 £338

$177 $177

156.84%

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

$15.59 £11.59

$50.9 $50.9

-69.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.66 £30.97

$65.6 $65.6

-36.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.82 £26.63

$34.55 $34.55

3.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.42 £15.18

Cinema Ticket

$10.76 £8.00

$11.12 $11.12

-3.24%

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

$1,283 £954

$1,363 $1,363

-5.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K £13.4K

$24.4K $24.4K

-25.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.4 £62.0

$49.44 $49.44

68.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 £31.27

$49.12 $49.12

-14.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 £65.7

$68.6 $68.6

28.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 £101

$81.3 $81.3

66.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,397 £1,038

$1,382 $1,382

1.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,082 £804

$891 $891

21.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 £1,432

$2,137 $2,137

-9.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,710 £1,271

$2,218 $2,218

-22.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,472 £3,325

$9,836 $9,836

-54.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,822 £2,841

$3,253 $3,253

17.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,463 £2,574

$3,857 $3,857

-10.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

6.52

-9.51%

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

Last update for Portsmouth: July 13, 2026

Last update for Aurora, IL: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,397 in Portsmouth versus $1,382 in Aurora, IL. 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 11% 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 $86.0 in Portsmouth versus $63.0 in Aurora, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $310 in Portsmouth vs $352 in Aurora, IL – 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

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

Portsmouth costs about 23% 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 $3,861 per month in Portsmouth and $3,141 in Aurora, IL. 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 $86.0 in Portsmouth and $63.0 in Aurora, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,574 in Portsmouth and $2,094 in Aurora, IL. 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 $2,094, than in Portsmouth at $2,574. 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 $2,094 versus $2,574 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.