City comparison
Cape Coral, FL vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cape Coral, FL are 8.1% higher than in Pittsburgh, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Pittsburgh, PA would need about $108,100 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 $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Cape Coral, FL and 17% in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Pittsburgh, PA than in Cape Coral, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.4% moving from Cape Coral, FL to Pittsburgh, PA ($106,437 → $110,047), while prices change by −7.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.8% in real buying power.
- Cape Coral, FL: price level 102.3 (pricier)
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cape Coral, FL | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.3 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,498 in Pittsburgh | $108,110 in Cape Coral |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,638/mo | $1,077/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,780 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL MSA and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cape Coral | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 86.9 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 102.3 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cape Coral, FL → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
94 Strong offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Cape Coral, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.5%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
45 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cape Coral, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Cape Coral, FL to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cape Coral, FL | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Cape Coral → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,815 | +11.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,211 | +11.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $92,543 | +11.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $110,047 | +11.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $130,042 | +11.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cape Coral, FL | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Cape Coral dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,470 | $76,550 | $82,758 (+36.9%) |
| Software Developers | $126,940 | $124,500 | $134,597 (+6.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,420 | $76,940 | $83,180 (+4.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $82,370 | $89,050 (+7.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.