Overview
Portsmouth is a major naval base and maritime city with significant defence industry employment and two universities.
The median salary in Portsmouth is £31,500 per year. With a cost of living index of 70/100 (London = 100) and average rents of £850/month, residents typically retain £23,800 per year in real spending power after rent — an important figure that headline salaries don't reveal.
Cost of Living: Portsmouth vs UK Cities
Cost of living index where London = 100. Lower score = more affordable. Portsmouth is highlighted.
London
100
Edinburgh
79
Bristol
78
Manchester
72
Leeds
70
Birmingham
68
Cardiff
66
Liverpool
65
Sheffield
63
Newcastle
61
Best Paying Jobs in Portsmouth
Full city salary breakdown coming soon. Browse all UK salary guides →
Portsmouth Job Market at a Glance
| Median Annual Salary | £31,500 |
| Cost of Living Index | 70/100 |
| Average Rent (1 bed) | £850/mo |
| Real Take-Home After Rent | £23,800/yr |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.5% |
| Job Growth (YoY) | ↑ 3.6% |
| Population | 238,000 |
Top Industries in Portsmouth
Defence
Maritime
Healthcare
Education
Tourism
Major Employers in Portsmouth
Royal Navy
NHS
University of Portsmouth
BAE Systems
Compare Portsmouth with Other Cities
Portsmouth vs London
£31,500 vs £52,800
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Portsmouth vs Manchester
£31,500 vs £36,500
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Portsmouth vs Birmingham
£31,500 vs £33,200
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Portsmouth vs Edinburgh
£31,500 vs £38,900
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Portsmouth vs Bristol
£31,500 vs £38,200
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Portsmouth vs Leeds
£31,500 vs £34,800
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Data Sources
ONS Regional Stats 2026
HMRC PAYE Data
Rightmove Rental Index
Numbeo UK
Reed.co.uk