City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Cape Coral, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 2.8% higher than in Cape Coral, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Cape Coral, FL would need about $102,800 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $1,638 in Cape Coral, FL. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 25% in Cape Coral, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,692 a year higher in Boulder, CO than in Cape Coral, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Boulder, CO to Cape Coral, FL ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −2.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.8% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- Cape Coral, FL: price level 102.3 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | Cape Coral, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 102.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,288 in Cape Coral | $102,788 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,638/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $46,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL MSA. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Cape Coral |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 86.9 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 102.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Cape Coral, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.8%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$3,692/yr.
77 Strong offer
Cape Coral, FL → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.7%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$3,692/yr.
55 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Cape Coral, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Cape Coral, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Cape Coral, FL | Real change, Boulder → Cape Coral |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | −7.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | −7.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | −7.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | −7.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | −7.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Cape Coral, FL | Cape Coral pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $60,470 | $62,156 (−22.9%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $126,940 | $130,478 (−20.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $79,420 | $81,634 (−18.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $82,860 | $85,170 (−17.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.