Cost of Living Comparison Between Portsmouth and Glasgow Cost of Living Comparison Between Portsmouth and Glasgow

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,561 per month in Portsmouth vs $2,505 in Glasgow, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,682 per month in Portsmouth vs $3,735 in Glasgow, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,803 per month in Portsmouth vs $4,966 in Glasgow, rent included.

Portsmouth costs about 2% more than Glasgow, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Portsmouth and Glasgow sit above the global median – Portsmouth by 91%, Glasgow by 87%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.64 £16.83

$20.19 £15.01

12.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.1 £64.7

$98.0 £72.9

-11.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.78 £6.53

$9.35 £6.95

-6.10%

Cappuccino

$4.46 £3.32

$4.76 £3.54

-6.30%

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

$2.19 £1.63

$2.18 £1.62

0.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 £1.29

$1.43 £1.06

20.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 £4.34

$6.68 £4.96

-12.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.17 £4.58

$6.72 £4.99

-8.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 £1.23

$1.77 £1.31

-6.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 £1.15

$1.64 £1.22

-5.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.86 £2.13

$2.64 £1.96

8.33%

Eggs

$3.30 £2.46

$3.85 £2.86

-14.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.47 £6.30

$10.17 £7.56

-16.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.32 £5.44

$9.21 £6.85

-20.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.21 £11.31

$13.83 £10.28

9.98%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 £3.22

$3.26 £2.43

32.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 £1.71

$1.79 £1.33

28.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 £2.25

$3.37 £2.50

-10.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.67 £3.47

$3.69 £2.75

26.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 £0.90

$1.65 £1.22

-26.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 £1.22

$1.91 £1.42

-14.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 £0.77

$1.22 £0.90

-14.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 £1.38

$1.59 £1.18

16.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.24 £12.81

$21.49 £15.97

-19.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.26 £8.37

$11.31 £8.41

-0.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 £2.25

$3.01 £2.23

0.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 £1.35

$3.37 £2.51

-46.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.43 £2.55

$4.04 £3.00

-15.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.7 £67.4

$95.0 £70.6

-4.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.48 £3.33

$5.28 £3.92

-15.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 £1.29

$2.27 £1.68

-23.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.16 £12.01

$27.65 £20.55

-41.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 £1.41

$1.94 £1.44

-2.06%

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

$38.8K £28.8K

$38.8K £28.9K

-0.17%

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

$40.4K £30.0K

$38.0K £28.2K

6.33%

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

$453 £337

$378 £281

20.08%

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

$15.24 £11.33

$17.76 £13.20

-14.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.64 £30.95

$41.41 £30.78

0.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.26 £26.21

$51.3 £38.16

-31.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.02 £14.88

$19.32 £14.36

3.62%

Cinema Ticket

$11.05 £8.22

$17.62 £13.10

-37.29%

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

$1,296 £963

$1,150 £855

12.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K £13.7K

$18.0K £13.4K

2.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.4 £62.7

$125 £93.2

-32.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.07 £31.27

$50.6 £37.64

-16.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 £65.4

$106 £78.7

-16.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 £100

$107 £79.3

26.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,369 £1,018

$1,393 £1,036

-1.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 £790

$1,011 £751

5.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,970 £1,465

$2,716 £2,019

-27.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,752 £1,302

$1,884 £1,401

-7.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,670 £3,472

$4,173 £3,102

11.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,850 £2,862

$3,091 £2,297

24.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,441 £2,557

$3,453 £2,566

-0.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

5.32

10.90%

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

Last update for Portsmouth: May 31, 2026

Last update for Glasgow: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,369 in Portsmouth versus $1,393 in Glasgow. 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 Glasgow, 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 $87.0 in Portsmouth versus $98.0 in Glasgow. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $310 vs $314 – 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 Glasgow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,561 in Portsmouth, $2,505 in Glasgow – roughly 2% apart. Portsmouth costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,842 per month in Portsmouth and $3,757 in Glasgow. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,296 per month in Portsmouth and $1,150 in Glasgow. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Portsmouth – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Glasgow, where all-in costs run around $2,505, than in Portsmouth at $2,561. In Glasgow it covers expenses comfortably, while in Portsmouth it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Portsmouth has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,505 in Glasgow to $2,561 in Portsmouth. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Glasgow. 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.