City comparison
Cape Coral, FL vs El Paso, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cape Coral, FL are 13.8% higher than in El Paso, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in El Paso, TX would need about $113,800 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 $1,013 in El Paso, TX. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Cape Coral, FL and 15% in El Paso, TX.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in FL and $0 in TX.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Cape Coral, FL to El Paso, TX changes real buying power by +13.8%, purely from prices.
- Cape Coral, FL: price level 102.3 (pricier)
- El Paso, TX: price level 89.9 (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 | El Paso, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.3 | 89.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,848 in El Paso | $113,832 in Cape Coral |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,638/mo | $1,013/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% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,780 | $39,510 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL MSA and El Paso, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL and El Paso, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cape Coral | El Paso |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 71.2 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 86.9 | 82.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 102.3 | 89.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cape Coral, FL → El Paso, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
100 Strong offer
El Paso, TX → Cape Coral, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Cape Coral, FL to El Paso, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cape Coral, FL | El Paso, TX | Real change, Cape Coral → El Paso |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +13.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +13.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +13.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +13.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +13.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cape Coral, FL | El Paso, TX | El Paso pay in Cape Coral dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,470 | $63,800 | $72,625 (+20.1%) |
| Software Developers | $126,940 | $127,310 | $144,920 (+14.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,420 | $65,990 | $75,118 (−5.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $86,100 | $98,010 (+18.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.