City comparison
Cape Coral, FL vs Cleveland, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cape Coral, FL are 9.0% higher than in Cleveland, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cleveland, OH would need about $109,000 in Cape Coral, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,638 a month in Cape Coral, FL versus $1,058 in Cleveland, OH. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Cape Coral, FL and 16% in Cleveland, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Cleveland, OH than in Cape Coral, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Cape Coral, FL to Cleveland, OH ($106,437 → $111,138), while prices change by −8.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +13.8% in real buying power.
- Cape Coral, FL: price level 102.3 (pricier)
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cape Coral, FL | Cleveland, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.3 | 93.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,767 in Cleveland | $108,971 in Cape Coral |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,638/mo | $1,058/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,780 | $50,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL MSA and Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL and Cleveland, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cape Coral | Cleveland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 79.4 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 86.9 | 96.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 102.3 | 93.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cape Coral, FL → Cleveland, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
97 Strong offer
Cleveland, OH → Cape Coral, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
43 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cape Coral, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Cleveland, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Cape Coral, FL to Cleveland, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cape Coral, FL | Cleveland, OH | Real change, Cape Coral → Cleveland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,448 | +13.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,977 | +13.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,461 | +13.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,138 | +13.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,331 | +13.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cape Coral, FL | Cleveland, OH | Cleveland pay in Cape Coral dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,470 | $76,470 | $83,330 (+37.8%) |
| Software Developers | $126,940 | $111,310 | $121,296 (−4.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,420 | $80,000 | $87,177 (+9.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $83,940 | $91,470 (+10.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.