City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Cape Coral, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cape Coral, FL are 4.0% higher than in Boise City, ID. Someone earning $100,000 in Boise City, ID would need about $104,000 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 $1,381 in Boise City, ID. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Cape Coral, FL and 22% in Boise City, ID.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,192 a year higher in Boise City, ID 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 Boise City, ID to Cape Coral, FL changes real buying power by −3.9%, purely from prices.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (about average)
- Cape Coral, FL: price level 102.3 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boise City, ID | Cape Coral, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 102.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,023 in Cape Coral | $96,133 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $1,638/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $46,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL MSA. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Cape Coral |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 86.9 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 102.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Cape Coral, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.9%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$4,192/yr.
57 Fair offer
Cape Coral, FL → Boise City, ID
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$4,192/yr.
81 Strong 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 Boise City, ID to Cape Coral, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Cape Coral, FL | Real change, Boise City → Cape Coral |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Cape Coral, FL | Cape Coral pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $60,470 | $58,132 (−5.1%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $126,940 | $122,031 (−7.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $79,420 | $76,349 (−0.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $82,860 | $79,656 (−18.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.