Portsmouth ranks among the UK’s most expensive coastal cities as utilities and transport push up costs
The cost of living across the UK has become increasingly uneven, with rising house prices, stubbornly high rents and everyday expenses continuing to stretch household budgets. While London has traditionally dominated conversations around affordability, the reality in 2026 is far broader. A growing number of cities, particularly across the South of England, are seeing costs surge, making it harder for both renters and homeowners to keep pace.
A new study by BestWallClock Archive takes a detailed look at affordability across 63 UK areas, analysing a combination of housing costs alongside everyday essentials such as groceries, transport, utilities and leisure spending.
Portsmouth ranks sixteenth overall, reflecting a cost profile shaped by relatively moderate housing prices but high day-to-day living expenses.
The average house price in Portsmouth stands at £249,000, while monthly rent averages £1,065.00, contributing to total monthly costs for renters of £1,741.17. Homeowners face total costs of £249,676, placing the city in the upper half of the national rankings despite its lower property values compared with many inland cities.
Everyday costs remain notably high in several categories. Grocery spending averages £190.16 per month, while transport costs reach £66.00, reflecting commuter and regional travel patterns. Utility costs are among the highest in the dataset, with electricity at £223.23 and water at £124.02, significantly increasing overall household pressure.
Additional costs such as mobile plans at £11.88, internet at £32.08, and gym memberships at £28.80 also contribute to the monthly burden for residents.
Portsmouth’s ranking is heavily influenced by elevated utility costs, which stand out compared with most other UK cities in the study. While housing remains relatively more affordable than southern commuter hotspots, the combined impact of high energy and water costs significantly increases overall living expenses.
Portsmouth’s position reflects its unique geography as a densely populated coastal city with limited expansion capacity. Strong demand from military personnel, students and commuters continues to support rental prices, while constrained housing supply keeps overall costs elevated.
Portsmouth sits alongside major UK cities in the affordability rankings, highlighting how coastal and island geography can drive costs independently of property prices.
Despite offering relatively lower house prices, the city’s high utility burden and consistent rental demand place it firmly within the UK’s more expensive locations.
At the opposite end of the table, Kingston upon Hull is identified as the most affordable city in the UK, with significantly lower housing and rental costs compared to the national average. Doncaster, Sunderland, Stoke-on-Trent and Derry also rank among the least expensive areas, underlining a growing national divide in how far incomes stretch depending on location.
List of the most expensive places to live in the UK:
Rank City
1 Westminster
2 St Albans
3 Oxford
4 Cambridge
5 Brighton and Hove
6 Bath
7 Winchester
8 Tunbridge Wells
9 Bristol
10 Chichester
11 Canterbury
12 Chelmsford
13 Milton Keynes
14 City of Edinburgh
15 Manchester
16 Portsmouth
17 Southend-on-Sea
18 Southampton
19 Exeter
20 Newport