City comparison
Cape Coral, FL vs Columbus, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cape Coral, FL are 14.6% higher than in Columbus, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, GA would need about $114,600 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 $939 in Columbus, GA. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Cape Coral, FL and 15% in Columbus, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,567 a year higher in Columbus, GA than in Cape Coral, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.7% moving from Cape Coral, FL to Columbus, GA ($106,437 → $112,556), while prices change by −12.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +21.2% in real buying power.
- Cape Coral, FL: price level 102.3 (pricier)
- Columbus, GA: price level 89.3 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cape Coral, FL | Columbus, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.3 | 89.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,247 in Columbus | $114,618 in Cape Coral |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,638/mo | $939/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,780 | $43,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL |
Rent areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL MSA and Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL and Columbus, GA-AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cape Coral | Columbus |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 61.2 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 86.9 | 89.7 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 102.3 | 89.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cape Coral, FL → Columbus, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.6%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$4,567/yr.
100 Strong offer
Columbus, GA → Cape Coral, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.8%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$4,567/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cape Coral, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Columbus, GA is in Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Cape Coral, FL to Columbus, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cape Coral, FL | Columbus, GA | Real change, Cape Coral → Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $65,271 | +21.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,972 | +21.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $94,654 | +21.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $112,556 | +21.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $133,007 | +21.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cape Coral, FL | Columbus, GA | Columbus pay in Cape Coral dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,470 | $61,360 | $70,329 (+16.3%) |
| Software Developers | $126,940 | $116,150 | $133,128 (+4.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,420 | $73,640 | $84,404 (+6.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $82,500 | $94,560 (+14.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.