City comparison
Cape Coral, FL vs Fort Collins, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cape Coral, FL are 1.2% higher than in Fort Collins, CO. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Collins, CO would need about $101,200 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 $1,537 in Fort Collins, CO. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Cape Coral, FL and 24% in Fort Collins, CO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,692 a year higher in Fort Collins, CO than in Cape Coral, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.5% moving from Cape Coral, FL to Fort Collins, CO ($106,437 → $118,675), while prices change by −1.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +12.8% in real buying power.
- Cape Coral, FL: price level 102.3 (pricier)
- Fort Collins, CO: price level 101.1 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cape Coral, FL | Fort Collins, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.3 | 101.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,807 in Fort Collins | $101,207 in Cape Coral |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,638/mo | $1,537/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,488 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,692 (CO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,780 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL MSA and Fort Collins-Loveland, CO MSA. Metro areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL and Fort Collins-Loveland, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cape Coral | Fort Collins |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 120.6 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.1 |
| Utilities | 86.9 | 82.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 102.3 | 101.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cape Coral, FL → Fort Collins, CO
Roughly even
Buying power +1.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,692/yr.
73 Strong offer
Fort Collins, CO → Cape Coral, FL
Roughly even
Buying power −1.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$3,692/yr.
65 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cape Coral, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Fort Collins, CO is in Denver-Aurora, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Cape Coral, FL to Fort Collins, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cape Coral, FL | Fort Collins, CO | Real change, Cape Coral → Fort Collins |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,819 | +12.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,265 | +12.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $99,800 | +12.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $118,675 | +12.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $140,239 | +12.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cape Coral, FL | Fort Collins, CO | Fort Collins pay in Cape Coral dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,470 | $62,930 | $63,690 (+5.3%) |
| Software Developers | $126,940 | $133,990 | $135,608 (+6.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,420 | $89,340 | $90,419 (+13.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $97,600 | $98,778 (+19.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.