Portsmouth ranks among the UK’s cheapest cities for watching football at the pub
Portsmouth ranks among the UK’s cheapest cities for watching football at the pub, a new study has found.
With the football calendar in full swing, Champions League nights, Europa League clashes, and relentless weekend fixtures, pubs across the UK are once again packed with fans watching every pass, tackle and last-minute equaliser. For many supporters, the pub remains the heart of the matchday ritual. A pint in hand, a plate of pub grub on the table, and the roar of fellow fans when the ball hits the net.
But while the atmosphere may be the same nationwide, the cost of enjoying it certainly isn’t. Depending on where you live, following the football with friends at the pub can be either a budget-friendly habit or an unexpectedly expensive one.
To find out where fans can enjoy the match without breaking the bank, researchers at Betmaster analysed 60 UK cities, comparing the average price of a pint, the cost of pub food, and the typical travel cost to reach a pub.
Portsmouth ranks 14th, with pints averaging £4.70 and pub meals at £14.90, one of the most affordable food prices in the study. Travel costs average £7.54, slightly above mid-range, but the combination of cheap food and reasonably priced beer keeps the city competitive for matchnight affordability.
Fans in Portsmouth can enjoy a lively pub experience without paying premium prices for basic necessities. The city offers a practical balance of drink, food, and travel costs for football supporters.
At the opposite end of the table sits Lisburn, which ranks last. The city records the highest travel cost to reach pubs at £16, while both pint and food prices are also among the highest analysed. Together, these factors make it the most expensive location in the UK for fans hoping to catch a match over a drink.
Oxford and London round out the top three most expensive areas. Oxford records the most expensive pints in the entire study at £6.80, while pub meals average £20, making a casual match night a costly affair. London, meanwhile, combines £6.50 pints with high food prices and expensive travel costs, meaning a typical football evening can quickly add up.
List of the cheapest UK cities to watch football matches:
| Rank | City | Average Beer Price | Average Food Price | Average Travel to Pub Cost | Total Score |
| 1 | Preston | £4.00 | £12.50 | £5.84 | 90.23 |
| 2 | Sunderland | £3.50 | £13.90 | £5.97 | 89.11 |
| 3 | Doncaster | £3.30 | £15.30 | £4.80 | 89.01 |
| 4 | Kingston upon Hull | £3.30 | £15.30 | £5.52 | 86.87 |
| 5 | Bradford | £3.30 | £16.00 | £6.09 | 82.43 |
| 6 | Derry | £4.00 | £14.00 | £6.64 | 81.97 |
| 7 | Newry | £4.50 | £14.00 | £7.45 | 74.79 |
| 8 | Wrexham | £4.00 | £15.00 | £8.30 | 73.11 |
| 9 | Sheffield | £4.40 | £15.00 | £7.09 | 72.90 |
| 10 | Wolverhampton | £4.80 | £15.00 | £6.00 | 72.33 |
| 11 | Dundee | £4.30 | £16.00 | £6.47 | 71.77 |
| 12 | Coventry | £4.50 | £15.00 | £7.50 | 70.72 |
| 13 | Southend-on-Sea | £4.70 | £15.00 | £7.00 | 70.31 |
| 14 | Portsmouth | £4.70 | £14.90 | £7.54 | 69.09 |
| 15 | Chichester | £4.80 | £14.80 | £7.60 | 68.35 |
| 16 | Gloucester | £4.80 | £15.00 | £7.34 | 68.34 |
| 17 | Chester | £5.00 | £15.00 | £6.79 | 68.08 |
| 18 | Milton Keynes | £5.00 | £15.00 | £7.00 | 67.45 |
| 19 | Nottingham | £4.50 | £17.60 | £5.36 | 66.90 |
| 20 | Leicester | £4.75 | £16.00 | £6.80 | 66.51 |
| 21 | Cardiff | £5.00 | £15.00 | £7.34 | 66.44 |
| 22 | Stoke-on-Trent | £5.00 | £16.00 | £6.13 | 66.12 |
| 23 | Newport | £5.00 | £15.00 | £7.64 | 65.55 |
| 24 | St Albans | £4.30 | £16.00 | £8.58 | 65.49 |
| 25 | Durham | £4.50 | £15.00 | £9.37 | 65.16 |
| 26 | Lancaster | £5.00 | £15.60 | £6.99 | 65.13 |
| 26 | Leeds | £5.00 | £15.60 | £6.99 | 65.13 |
| 28 | Perth | £4.80 | £15.00 | £8.57 | 64.68 |
| 29 | Stirling | £4.50 | £16.00 | £8.40 | 64.13 |
| 30 | Lincoln | £4.75 | £18.00 | £5.25 | 63.28 |
| 31 | Newcastle upon Tyne | £5.00 | £15.00 | £8.57 | 62.78 |
| 32 | Swansea | £4.50 | £16.00 | £9.00 | 62.34 |
| 33 | Hereford | £4.50 | £15.00 | £10.62 | 61.44 |
| 34 | Armagh | £4.80 | £17.00 | £7.04 | 61.39 |
| 34 | Glasgow | £4.80 | £17.00 | £7.04 | 61.39 |
| 36 | Birmingham | £5.00 | £15.00 | £9.20 | 60.90 |
| 37 | Wakefield | £5.50 | £15.00 | £7.99 | 59.74 |
| 38 | Peterborough | £5.50 | £15.00 | £8.00 | 59.71 |
| 39 | Bristol | £6.00 | £15.00 | £6.50 | 59.42 |
| 40 | Aberdeen | £5.00 | £16.00 | £8.40 | 59.36 |
| 41 | Manchester | £5.50 | £15.00 | £8.26 | 58.94 |
| 42 | Bath | £6.00 | £15.00 | £6.75 | 58.67 |
| 43 | Colchester | £5.20 | £16.00 | £8.00 | 58.65 |
| 44 | Exeter | £5.50 | £15.00 | £8.72 | 57.57 |
| 45 | Belfast | £6.00 | £15.00 | £7.45 | 56.59 |
| 46 | Chelmsford | £5.50 | £17.50 | £6.09 | 55.59 |
| 46 | Norwich | £5.50 | £17.50 | £6.09 | 55.59 |
| 48 | Liverpool | £5.00 | £16.00 | £9.70 | 55.50 |
| 49 | Plymouth | £5.00 | £17.00 | £8.72 | 54.49 |
| 50 | Derby | £5.00 | £20.00 | £6.92 | 48.08 |
| 51 | Worcester | £5.00 | £15.00 | £13.83 | 47.13 |
| 52 | Edinburgh | £6.00 | £18.00 | £8.20 | 42.59 |
| 53 | Brighton and Hove | £6.50 | £16.00 | £9.80 | 40.91 |
| 54 | Cambridge | £5.50 | £17.50 | £12.00 | 38.01 |
| 55 | York | £5.00 | £21.00 | £9.35 | 36.93 |
| 56 | Southampton | £6.00 | £20.00 | £7.70 | 36.24 |
| 57 | Winchester | £6.00 | £20.00 | £8.30 | 34.45 |
| 58 | London | £6.50 | £20.00 | £11.90 | 18.98 |
| 59 | Oxford | £6.80 | £20.00 | £11.00 | 18.80 |
| 60 | Lisburn | £6.10 | £18.50 | £16.00 | 16.47 |