City comparison
Cape Coral, FL vs Durham, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cape Coral, FL are 4.9% higher than in Durham, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Durham, NC would need about $104,900 in Cape Coral, FL to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,638 a month in Cape Coral, FL versus $1,507 in Durham, NC. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Cape Coral, FL and 24% in Durham, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Durham, NC 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 Durham, NC ($106,437 → $111,147), while prices change by −4.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.5% in real buying power.
- Cape Coral, FL: price level 102.3 (pricier)
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cape Coral, FL | Durham, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.3 | 97.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,333 in Durham | $104,896 in Cape Coral |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,638/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,780 | $60,720 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL MSA and Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL and Durham-Chapel Hill, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cape Coral | Durham |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 98.9 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 86.9 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 102.3 | 97.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cape Coral, FL → Durham, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
84 Strong offer
Durham, NC → Cape Coral, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.7%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
54 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cape Coral, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Durham, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Cape Coral, FL to Durham, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cape Coral, FL | Durham, NC | Real change, Cape Coral → Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,453 | +9.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,983 | +9.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,468 | +9.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,147 | +9.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,342 | +9.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cape Coral, FL | Durham, NC | Durham pay in Cape Coral dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,470 | $51,400 | $53,916 (−10.8%) |
| Software Developers | $126,940 | $135,620 | $142,260 (+12.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,420 | $85,090 | $89,256 (+12.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | not published | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.