Home / Compare / London vs Portsmouth
City Comparison · 2026

London vs Portsmouth 2026

Greater London
London
Median Salary £52,800
Cost of Living 100/100
Avg Rent (1 bed) £2,100/mo
Real Take-Home £28,400/yr
Job Growth ↑ 4.2%
Unemployment 3.8%
VS
South East England
Portsmouth
Median Salary £31,500
Cost of Living 70/100
Avg Rent (1 bed) £850/mo
Real Take-Home £23,800/yr
Job Growth ↑ 3.6%
Unemployment 4.5%
Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary
London
Best take-home pay after accounting for rent and cost of living.
Best for Affordability
Portsmouth
Lower cost of living index means your money goes further every day.
Highest Headline Salary
London
Higher median salary before cost of living is taken into account.
Lowest Rent
Portsmouth
More affordable average rents leave more of your salary in your pocket.
Best for Career Growth
London
Higher job growth rate and more active job market for ambitious professionals.
Best Overall Value
London
When salary, cost of living and rent are all considered together.

Top Salaries: London vs Portsmouth

London

London is the UK's financial and economic capital, offering the highest salaries of any UK city but also the highest cost of living.

Full London Guide →

Portsmouth

Portsmouth is a major naval base and maritime city with significant defence industry employment and two universities.

Full Portsmouth Guide →
Live Jobs

Jobs in London

Browse live London vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse London Jobs →
Live Jobs

Jobs in Portsmouth

Browse live Portsmouth vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Portsmouth Jobs →

More Comparisons

London vs Manchester
£52,800 vs £36,500
Compare →
London vs Birmingham
£52,800 vs £33,200
Compare →
London vs Edinburgh
£52,800 vs £38,900
Compare →
London vs Bristol
£52,800 vs £38,200
Compare →
London vs Leeds
£52,800 vs £34,800
Compare →
London vs Glasgow
£52,800 vs £35,200
Compare →
All City Comparisons →
Scroll to Top