City comparison
Cape Coral, FL vs Columbus, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cape Coral, FL are 7.2% higher than in Columbus, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, OH would need about $107,200 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 $1,194 in Columbus, OH. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Cape Coral, FL and 19% in Columbus, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Columbus, OH than in Cape Coral, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.3% moving from Cape Coral, FL to Columbus, OH ($106,437 → $111,065), while prices change by −6.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.9% in real buying power.
- Cape Coral, FL: price level 102.3 (pricier)
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (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, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.3 | 95.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,278 in Columbus | $107,207 in Cape Coral |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,638/mo | $1,194/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% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,780 | $51,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH |
Rent areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL MSA and Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL and Columbus, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cape Coral | Columbus |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 87.9 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 86.9 | 95.5 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 102.3 | 95.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cape Coral, FL → Columbus, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
91 Strong offer
Columbus, OH → Cape Coral, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.7%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
48 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cape Coral, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Columbus, OH is in Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH. The last column shows what a transfer from Cape Coral, FL to Columbus, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cape Coral, FL | Columbus, OH | Real change, Cape Coral → Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,406 | +11.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,926 | +11.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,400 | +11.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,065 | +11.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,245 | +11.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cape Coral, FL | Columbus, OH | Columbus pay in Cape Coral dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,470 | $78,150 | $83,782 (+38.6%) |
| Software Developers | $126,940 | $122,340 | $131,156 (+3.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,420 | $81,700 | $87,588 (+10.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $83,900 | $89,946 (+8.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.