City comparison
Cape Coral, FL vs Orlando, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Cape Coral, FL (102.3) and Orlando, FL (101.4, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Cape Coral, FL goes as far as $99,100 in Orlando, FL.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,731 a month in Orlando, FL versus $1,638 in Cape Coral, FL. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Orlando, FL and 25% in Cape Coral, 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 Orlando, FL changes real buying power by +0.9%, purely from prices.
- Cape Coral, FL: price level 102.3 (pricier)
- Orlando, FL: price level 101.4 (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 | Orlando, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.3 | 101.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,090 in Orlando | $100,918 in Cape Coral |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,638/mo | $1,731/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% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,780 | $46,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL MSA and Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL MSA. Metro areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL and Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cape Coral | Orlando |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 123.4 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 86.9 | 87.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 102.3 | 101.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cape Coral, FL → Orlando, FL
Roughly even
Buying power +0.9%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
70 Fair offer
Orlando, FL → Cape Coral, FL
Roughly even
Buying power −0.9%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
66 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 Orlando, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cape Coral, FL | Orlando, FL | Real change, Cape Coral → Orlando |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +0.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +0.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +0.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +0.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +0.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cape Coral, FL | Orlando, FL | Orlando pay in Cape Coral dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,470 | $60,190 | $60,743 (+0.5%) |
| Software Developers | $126,940 | $129,620 | $130,810 (+3.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,420 | $78,630 | $79,352 (−0.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $83,550 | $84,317 (+1.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.