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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,874 per month in Portsmouth vs $2,691 in Edinburgh, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,882 per month in Portsmouth vs $4,039 in Edinburgh, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,890 per month in Portsmouth vs $5,386 in Edinburgh, rent included.

Portsmouth costs about 7% more than Edinburgh, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Portsmouth and Edinburgh sit above the global median – Portsmouth by 109%, Edinburgh by 96%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.14 £14.90

$24.27 £17.95

-17.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.4 £49.83

$109 £81.0

-38.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 £7.87

$10.91 £8.07

-2.47%

Cappuccino

$4.88 £3.61

$5.18 £3.83

-5.79%

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

$2.81 £2.08

$2.53 £1.87

11.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 £1.72

$2.17 £1.60

6.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.47 £4.78

$8.19 £6.06

-21.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.98 £4.42

$8.12 £6.01

-26.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 £1.04

$1.76 £1.30

-19.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 £1.20

$2.33 £1.72

-30.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.65 £2.70

$2.33 £1.72

56.65%

Eggs

$3.49 £2.58

$5.09 £3.76

-31.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.95 £10.32

$9.30 £6.88

50.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.56 £6.33

$9.54 £7.06

-10.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.60 £10.06

$15.99 £11.83

-14.95%

Apples (1kg)

$4.02 £2.97

$3.01 £2.22

33.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 £1.40

$1.79 £1.33

5.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 £2.14

$3.46 £2.56

-16.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.42 £2.53

$3.53 £2.61

-3.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 £1.20

$2.19 £1.62

-25.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 £1.26

$1.52 £1.12

11.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 £0.90

$1.27 £0.94

-4.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 £1.10

$1.91 £1.41

-21.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.33 £17.26

$24.28 £17.96

-3.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.57 £8.56

$11.30 £8.36

2.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.18 £2.35

$3.02 £2.23

5.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 £1.65

$3.17 £2.35

-29.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.96 £2.93

$2.95 £2.18

34.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.4 £66.9

$101 £74.6

-10.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.55 £4.11

$5.45 £4.03

1.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 £1.16

$1.95 £1.44

-20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.73 £15.34

$28.94 £21.41

-28.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 £1.53

$2.05 £1.52

0.98%

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

$39.0K £28.8K

$39.3K £29.0K

-0.70%

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

$41.5K £30.7K

$41.4K £30.6K

0.08%

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

$668 £494

$343 £254

94.82%

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

$15.19 £11.24

$17.03 £12.60

-10.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.39 £32.84

$43.01 £31.82

3.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.70 £28.63

$47.96 £35.48

-19.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.60 £13.02

$23.68 £17.52

-25.68%

Cinema Ticket

$10.99 £8.13

$15.04 £11.13

-26.93%

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

$1,306 £966

$1,824 £1,350

-28.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.4K £15.1K

$25.5K £18.8K

-20.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.5 £68.5

$85.8 £63.5

7.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.15 £30.44

$50.3 £37.21

-18.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 £75.9

$108 £79.6

-4.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 £93.3

$118 £87.6

6.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,480 £1,095

$1,644 £1,217

-10.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,150 £851

$1,229 £909

-6.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,155 £1,594

$2,844 £2,104

-24.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,718 £1,271

$2,187 £1,618

-21.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,631 £3,426

$6,732 £4,980

-31.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,889 £2,877

$4,734 £3,502

-17.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,539 £2,618

$3,581 £2,649

-1.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

4.78

7.95%

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

Last update for Portsmouth: August 31, 2026

Last update for Edinburgh: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,480 in Portsmouth versus $1,644 in Edinburgh. 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 1% higher in Edinburgh, 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 $67.0 in Portsmouth versus $109 in Edinburgh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $319 vs $333 – 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

Portsmouth vs Edinburgh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Portsmouth is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,310 per month in Portsmouth and $4,037 in Edinburgh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Edinburgh, 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 $67.0 in Portsmouth and $109 in Edinburgh. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,874 in Portsmouth and $2,691 in Edinburgh. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,874 in Portsmouth and $2,691 in Edinburgh. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Edinburgh – 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 Edinburgh. 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.