City comparison
Cape Coral, FL vs Charlotte, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cape Coral, FL are 5.1% higher than in Charlotte, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Charlotte, NC would need about $105,100 in Cape Coral, FL to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,638 a month in Cape Coral, FL versus $1,538 in Charlotte, NC. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Cape Coral, FL and 24% in Charlotte, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Charlotte, NC than in Cape Coral, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.2% moving from Cape Coral, FL to Charlotte, NC ($106,437 → $108,810), while prices change by −4.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.5% in real buying power.
- Cape Coral, FL: price level 102.3 (pricier)
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cape Coral, FL | Charlotte, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.3 | 97.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,114 in Charlotte | $105,137 in Cape Coral |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,638/mo | $1,538/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,780 | $49,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC |
Rent areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL MSA and Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL and Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cape Coral | Charlotte |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 97.6 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 86.9 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 102.3 | 97.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cape Coral, FL → Charlotte, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
85 Strong offer
Charlotte, NC → Cape Coral, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.9%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cape Coral, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Charlotte, NC is in Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC. The last column shows what a transfer from Cape Coral, FL to Charlotte, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cape Coral, FL | Charlotte, NC | Real change, Cape Coral → Charlotte |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,098 | +7.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,343 | +7.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,503 | +7.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,810 | +7.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,581 | +7.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cape Coral, FL | Charlotte, NC | Charlotte pay in Cape Coral dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,470 | $58,680 | $61,695 (+2.0%) |
| Software Developers | $126,940 | $135,920 | $142,903 (+12.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,420 | $92,910 | $97,683 (+23.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $90,620 | $95,275 (+15.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.