City comparison
Cape Coral, FL vs Chicago, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chicago, IL are 1.2% higher than in Cape Coral, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Cape Coral, FL would need about $101,200 in Chicago, IL to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,638 a month in Cape Coral, FL and $1,581 in Chicago, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,805 a year higher in Chicago, IL than in Cape Coral, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.8% moving from Cape Coral, FL to Chicago, IL ($106,437 → $118,984), while prices change by +1.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.4% in real buying power.
- Cape Coral, FL: price level 102.3 (pricier)
- Chicago, IL: price level 103.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cape Coral, FL | Chicago, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.3 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,217 in Chicago | $98,797 in Cape Coral |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,638/mo | $1,581/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,780 | $54,720 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL MSA and Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL and Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cape Coral | Chicago |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 112.0 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 107.3 |
| Utilities | 86.9 | 83.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 100.5 |
| Overall | 102.3 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cape Coral, FL → Chicago, IL
Roughly even
Buying power −1.2%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$4,805/yr.
64 Fair offer
Chicago, IL → Cape Coral, FL
Roughly even
Buying power +1.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$4,805/yr.
73 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cape Coral, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Chicago, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Cape Coral, FL to Chicago, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cape Coral, FL | Chicago, IL | Real change, Cape Coral → Chicago |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,999 | +10.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,482 | +10.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,059 | +10.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $118,984 | +10.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $140,604 | +10.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cape Coral, FL | Chicago, IL | Chicago pay in Cape Coral dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,470 | $78,390 | $77,447 (+28.1%) |
| Software Developers | $126,940 | $134,380 | $132,764 (+4.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,420 | $82,360 | $81,369 (+2.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $100,490 | $99,281 (+19.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.