Cost of Living Comparison Between Portsmouth and London Cost of Living Comparison Between Portsmouth and London

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,574 per month in Portsmouth vs $3,916 in London, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,644 per month in Portsmouth vs $5,631 in London, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,714 per month in Portsmouth vs $7,345 in London, rent included.

Portsmouth is about 34% cheaper than London, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Portsmouth and London sit above the global median – Portsmouth by 93%, London by 193%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.96 £17.07

$27.47 £20.42

-16.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.8 £63.8

$111 £82.3

-22.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.79 £6.53

$10.67 £7.93

-17.62%

Cappuccino

$4.46 £3.32

$5.30 £3.94

-15.85%

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

$2.21 £1.64

$2.74 £2.03

-19.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 £1.29

$1.79 £1.33

-2.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 £4.50

$9.00 £6.69

-32.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.26 £4.65

$8.12 £6.03

-22.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 £1.21

$1.72 £1.28

-5.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 £1.13

$2.11 £1.57

-27.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.86 £2.13

$2.47 £1.84

15.79%

Eggs

$3.17 £2.36

$4.98 £3.70

-36.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.76 £6.51

$11.11 £8.26

-21.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.35 £5.47

$9.13 £6.79

-19.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.07 £11.21

$14.41 £10.71

4.58%

Apples (1kg)

$4.27 £3.18

$3.36 £2.50

27.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 £1.62

$2.03 £1.51

7.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.06 £2.27

$3.27 £2.43

-6.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.85 £3.61

$3.63 £2.70

33.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 £0.92

$1.68 £1.25

-26.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 £1.23

$1.77 £1.32

-6.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 £0.81

$1.33 £0.99

-17.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 £1.38

$1.91 £1.42

-2.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.38 £12.92

$22.79 £16.94

-23.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.49 £8.54

$13.62 £10.12

-15.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.04 £2.26

$3.20 £2.38

-5.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 £1.34

$4.07 £3.03

-55.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.46 £2.57

$3.82 £2.84

-9.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.7 £66.7

$249 £185

-63.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.70 £3.49

$5.89 £4.38

-20.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 £1.30

$3.32 £2.47

-47.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.44 £12.22

$40.47 £30.09

-59.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 £1.46

$1.90 £1.41

3.16%

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

$38.2K £28.4K

$38.9K £28.9K

-1.83%

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

$40.7K £30.3K

$39.4K £29.3K

3.36%

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

$454 £338

$328 £244

38.30%

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

$15.59 £11.59

$19.61 £14.58

-20.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.66 £30.97

$42.68 £31.73

-2.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.82 £26.63

$63.2 £47.01

-43.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.42 £15.18

$22.39 £16.64

-8.80%

Cinema Ticket

$10.76 £8.00

$20.69 £15.38

-47.99%

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

$1,283 £954

$2,474 £1,840

-48.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K £13.4K

$27.9K £20.8K

-35.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.4 £62.0

$119 £88.7

-30.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 £31.27

$50.1 £37.24

-16.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 £65.7

$131 £97.3

-32.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 £101

$158 £118

-14.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,397 £1,038

$2,937 £2,183

-52.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,082 £804

$2,229 £1,657

-51.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 £1,432

$5,569 £4,140

-65.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,710 £1,271

$3,707 £2,756

-53.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,472 £3,325

$20.1K £14.9K

-77.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,822 £2,841

$8,485 £6,308

-54.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,463 £2,574

$4,247 £3,157

-18.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

5.05

16.83%

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

Last update for Portsmouth: July 13, 2026

Last update for London: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,397 in Portsmouth versus $2,937 in London. 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 23% higher in London, 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 $86.0 in Portsmouth versus $111 in London. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $310 vs $339 – 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 London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,574 in Portsmouth, $3,916 in London – roughly 52% apart. London costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,861 per month in Portsmouth and $5,874 in London. 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.

Groceries cost about 9% more in London, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $86.0 in Portsmouth and $111 in London. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Portsmouth, where all-in costs run around $2,574, than in London at $3,916. In Portsmouth it covers expenses comfortably, while in London 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 $2,574 in Portsmouth to $3,916 in London. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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