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%

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.

Browse Portsmouth Jobs →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Luton

Browse live Luton vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Luton Jobs →

More Comparisons

London vs Portsmouth

£52,800 vs £31,500

Compare →

London vs Luton

£52,800 vs £31,500

Compare →

Manchester vs Portsmouth

£36,500 vs £31,500

Compare →

Manchester vs Luton

£36,500 vs £31,500

Compare →

Birmingham vs Portsmouth

£33,200 vs £31,500

Compare →

Birmingham vs Luton

£33,200 vs £31,500

Compare →

All City Comparisons →