City comparison
Cape Coral, FL vs McAllen, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cape Coral, FL are 19.2% higher than in McAllen, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in McAllen, TX would need about $119,200 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 $847 in McAllen, TX. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Cape Coral, FL and 13% in McAllen, 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 McAllen, TX changes real buying power by +19.2%, purely from prices.
- Cape Coral, FL: price level 102.3 (pricier)
- McAllen, TX: price level 85.9 (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 | McAllen, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.3 | 85.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $83,924 in McAllen | $119,156 in Cape Coral |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,638/mo | $847/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% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,780 | $35,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL MSA and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX MSA. Metro areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cape Coral | McAllen |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 55.9 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 86.9 | 81.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 102.3 | 85.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cape Coral, FL → McAllen, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +19.2%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
100 Strong offer
McAllen, TX → Cape Coral, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.1%; 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 McAllen, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cape Coral, FL | McAllen, TX | Real change, Cape Coral → McAllen |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +19.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +19.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +19.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +19.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +19.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cape Coral, FL | McAllen, TX | McAllen pay in Cape Coral dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,470 | $63,110 | $75,199 (+24.4%) |
| Software Developers | $126,940 | $116,120 | $138,364 (+9.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,420 | $64,470 | $76,820 (−3.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $80,540 | $95,968 (+15.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.