City comparison
Cape Coral, FL vs Chattanooga, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cape Coral, FL are 11.9% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $111,900 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 $1,263 in Chattanooga, TN. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Cape Coral, FL and 19% in Chattanooga, TN.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in FL and $0 in TN.
- 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 Chattanooga, TN changes real buying power by +11.9%, purely from prices.
- Cape Coral, FL: price level 102.3 (pricier)
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cape Coral, FL | Chattanooga, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.3 | 91.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,365 in Chattanooga | $111,901 in Cape Coral |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,638/mo | $1,263/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,780 | $46,700 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL MSA and Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA. Metro areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL and Chattanooga, TN-GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cape Coral | Chattanooga |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 76.5 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.0 |
| Utilities | 86.9 | 74.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 102.3 | 91.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cape Coral, FL → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
100 Strong offer
Chattanooga, TN → Cape Coral, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.6%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
38 Weak 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 Chattanooga, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cape Coral, FL | Chattanooga, TN | Real change, Cape Coral → Chattanooga |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +11.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +11.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +11.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +11.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +11.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cape Coral, FL | Chattanooga, TN | Chattanooga pay in Cape Coral dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,470 | $59,830 | $66,950 (+10.7%) |
| Software Developers | $126,940 | $106,750 | $119,454 (−5.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,420 | $76,680 | $85,806 (+8.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $79,770 | $89,263 (+7.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.