Admittedly, it was only for three years (and I have since lived in Portsmouth for six) – but this does at least make me qualified to compare the two cities.
It is thanks to this experience that I can now confidently say Portsmouth is a significantly better place to live. Here are my 11 reasons why this is factually true.
5. Afternoon tea and stunning views
From the Spinnaker Tower, people can see out over Portsmouth, Gosport, the naval base and to the Isle of Wight. In Southampton, the best vantage point comes from the Ikea car park, which offers a spectacular view - of another car park. Photo: Adobe Stock
6. Food
Right across the city, Portsmouth has a diverse range of culinary delights at both the leisure hubs of Port Solent and Gunwharf but also all across our city. There are so many fantastic independent eateries. Even our takeaways are renowned! Photo: Habibur Rahman
7. Football
Okay, so Pompey might not be a Premier League side right now - but things are not exactly going well for Southampton either this season! There are few who can match Pompey fans' passion - Fratton Park is dubbed Fortress Fratton with good reason. Photo: Joe Pepler
8. People
Come rain or shine, when the chips are down you can always rely on the people of Portsmouth. Here, you can see the veteran community rallying around for the funeral of former D-Day veteran Arthur Bailey. Photo: Habibur Rahman