City Comparison · 2026

Portsmouth vs Peterborough 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

Peterborough

Median Salary £30,500

Cost of Living 67/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £800/mo

Real Take-Home £23,500/yr

Job Growth ↑ 3.8%

Unemployment 4.8%

Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary

Portsmouth

Best take-home pay after accounting for rent and cost of living.

Best for Affordability

Peterborough

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

Peterborough

More affordable average rents leave more of your salary in your pocket.

Best for Career Growth

Peterborough

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 Peterborough

Portsmouth

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

Full Portsmouth Guide →

Peterborough

Peterborough is a major logistics and distribution hub with excellent road and rail connections to London.

Full Peterborough Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Portsmouth

Browse live Portsmouth vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Portsmouth Jobs →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Peterborough

Browse live Peterborough vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Peterborough Jobs →

More Comparisons

London vs Portsmouth

£52,800 vs £31,500

Compare →

London vs Peterborough

£52,800 vs £30,500

Compare →

Manchester vs Portsmouth

£36,500 vs £31,500

Compare →

Manchester vs Peterborough

£36,500 vs £30,500

Compare →

Birmingham vs Portsmouth

£33,200 vs £31,500

Compare →

Birmingham vs Peterborough

£33,200 vs £30,500

Compare →

All City Comparisons →