City comparison
Cape Coral, FL vs Provo, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cape Coral, FL are 4.2% higher than in Provo, UT. Someone earning $100,000 in Provo, UT would need about $104,200 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 $1,265 in Provo, UT. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Cape Coral, FL and 20% in Provo, UT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,534 a year higher in Provo, UT than in Cape Coral, FL.
- 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 Provo, UT changes real buying power by +4.2%, purely from prices.
- Cape Coral, FL: price level 102.3 (pricier)
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (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 | Provo, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.3 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,977 in Provo | $104,191 in Cape Coral |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,638/mo | $1,265/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,780 | $48,010 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL MSA and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA. Metro areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cape Coral | Provo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 104.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 86.9 | 78.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 102.3 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cape Coral, FL → Provo, UT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,534/yr.
82 Strong offer
Provo, UT → Cape Coral, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.0%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$3,534/yr.
56 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 Provo, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cape Coral, FL | Provo, UT | Real change, Cape Coral → Provo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +4.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +4.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +4.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +4.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +4.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cape Coral, FL | Provo, UT | Provo pay in Cape Coral dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,470 | $62,930 | $65,567 (+8.4%) |
| Software Developers | $126,940 | $131,210 | $136,709 (+7.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,420 | $75,700 | $78,873 (−0.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $81,780 | $85,207 (+2.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.