City comparison
Cape Coral, FL vs Indianapolis, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Cape Coral, FL are 7.0% higher than in Indianapolis, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Indianapolis, IN would need about $107,000 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 $1,267 in Indianapolis, IN. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Cape Coral, FL and 20% in Indianapolis, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,921 a year higher in Indianapolis, IN than in Cape Coral, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.9% moving from Cape Coral, FL to Indianapolis, IN ($106,437 → $107,428), while prices change by −6.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.9% in real buying power.
- Cape Coral, FL: price level 102.3 (pricier)
- Indianapolis, IN: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cape Coral, FL | Indianapolis, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.3 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,500 in Indianapolis | $106,952 in Cape Coral |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,638/mo | $1,267/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,780 | $49,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN |
Rent areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL MSA and Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL and Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cape Coral | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 88.9 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 86.9 | 86.4 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 102.3 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cape Coral, FL → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$2,921/yr.
90 Strong offer
Indianapolis, IN → Cape Coral, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.5%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$2,921/yr.
48 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Cape Coral, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Indianapolis, IN is in Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Cape Coral, FL to Indianapolis, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cape Coral, FL | Indianapolis, IN | Real change, Cape Coral → Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,297 | +7.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,374 | +7.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,341 | +7.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,428 | +7.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,947 | +7.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cape Coral, FL | Indianapolis, IN | Indianapolis pay in Cape Coral dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $131,500 | $98,060 | $104,877 (−20.2%) |
| Software Developers | $126,940 | $106,870 | $114,300 (−10.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,420 | $79,290 | $84,802 (+6.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $84,230 | $90,086 (+8.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.