City comparison
Cape Coral, FL vs Portland, ME
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 Portland, ME (101.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Cape Coral, FL goes as far as $99,500 in Portland, ME.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,638 a month in Cape Coral, FL and $1,658 in Portland, ME.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,654 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Cape Coral, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Cape Coral, FL to Portland, ME ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by −0.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +13.8% in real buying power.
- Cape Coral, FL: price level 102.3 (pricier)
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (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 | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.3 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,520 in Portland | $100,482 in Cape Coral |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,638/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,780 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL MSA and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cape Coral | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 86.9 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 102.3 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cape Coral, FL → Portland, ME
Roughly even
Buying power +0.5%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$5,654/yr.
67 Fair offer
Portland, ME → Cape Coral, FL
Roughly even
Buying power −0.5%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$5,654/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cape Coral, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Cape Coral, FL to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cape Coral, FL | Portland, ME | Real change, Cape Coral → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +13.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +13.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +13.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +13.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +13.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cape Coral, FL | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Cape Coral dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,470 | $76,770 | $77,140 (+27.6%) |
| Software Developers | $126,940 | $128,710 | $129,330 (+1.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,420 | $79,790 | $80,175 (+1.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $88,470 | $88,896 (+7.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.