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City Comparison · 2026

Portsmouth vs Luton 2026

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%
VS
East of England
Luton
Median Salary £31,500
Cost of Living 75/100
Avg Rent (1 bed) £1,000/mo
Real Take-Home £22,800/yr
Job Growth ↑ 3.8%
Unemployment 5.2%
Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary
Portsmouth
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
Portsmouth
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
Luton
Higher job growth rate and more active job market for ambitious professionals.
Best Overall Value
Portsmouth
When salary, cost of living and rent are all considered together.

Top Salaries: Portsmouth vs Luton

Portsmouth

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

Full Portsmouth Guide →

Luton

Luton is a major aviation hub with London Luton Airport driving significant logistics and hospitality employment.

Full Luton Guide →
Live Jobs

Jobs in Portsmouth

Browse live Portsmouth vacancies on Reed right now.

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Live Jobs

Jobs in Luton

Browse live Luton vacancies on Reed right now.

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