City comparison
Cape Coral, FL vs Dallas, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Cape Coral, FL (102.3) and Dallas, TX (103.1, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Cape Coral, FL goes as far as $100,700 in Dallas, TX.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,638 a month in Cape Coral, FL and $1,648 in Dallas, TX.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in FL and $0 in TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.7% moving from Cape Coral, FL to Dallas, TX ($106,437 → $115,711), while prices change by +0.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.9% in real buying power.
- Cape Coral, FL: price level 102.3 (pricier)
- Dallas, TX: price level 103.1 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cape Coral, FL | Dallas, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.3 | 103.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,724 in Dallas | $99,281 in Cape Coral |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,638/mo | $1,648/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,780 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK |
Rent areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL MSA and Dallas, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cape Coral | Dallas |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 117.9 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 102.8 |
| Utilities | 86.9 | 90.7 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.7 |
| Overall | 102.3 | 103.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cape Coral, FL → Dallas, TX
Roughly even
Buying power −0.7%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
67 Fair offer
Dallas, TX → Cape Coral, FL
Roughly even
Buying power +0.7%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
71 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cape Coral, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Dallas, TX is in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK. The last column shows what a transfer from Cape Coral, FL to Dallas, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cape Coral, FL | Dallas, TX | Real change, Cape Coral → Dallas |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $67,100 | +7.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $81,186 | +7.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $97,307 | +7.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $115,711 | +7.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $136,736 | +7.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cape Coral, FL | Dallas, TX | Dallas pay in Cape Coral dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,470 | $65,070 | $64,602 (+6.8%) |
| Software Developers | $126,940 | $133,290 | $132,332 (+4.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,420 | $82,620 | $82,026 (+3.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $101,420 | $100,691 (+21.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.