City comparison
Cape Coral, FL vs Gainesville, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cape Coral, FL are 5.8% higher than in Gainesville, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Gainesville, FL would need about $105,800 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 $1,246 in Gainesville, FL. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Cape Coral, FL and 19% in Gainesville, FL.
- Both are in FL, so estimated state income tax is the same: $0 a year on $100,000.
- 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 Gainesville, FL changes real buying power by +5.8%, purely from prices.
- Cape Coral, FL: price level 102.3 (pricier)
- Gainesville, FL: price level 96.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cape Coral, FL | Gainesville, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.3 | 96.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,513 in Gainesville | $105,806 in Cape Coral |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,638/mo | $1,246/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,780 | $47,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL MSA and Gainesville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL and Gainesville, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cape Coral | Gainesville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 93.0 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 86.9 | 88.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 102.3 | 96.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cape Coral, FL → Gainesville, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
87 Strong offer
Gainesville, FL → Cape Coral, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.5%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
52 Fair 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 Gainesville, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cape Coral, FL | Gainesville, FL | Real change, Cape Coral → Gainesville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +5.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +5.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +5.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +5.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +5.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cape Coral, FL | Gainesville, FL | Gainesville pay in Cape Coral dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,470 | $56,430 | $59,706 (−1.3%) |
| Software Developers | $126,940 | $122,950 | $130,088 (+2.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,420 | $75,820 | $80,222 (+1.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $81,870 | $86,623 (+4.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.