City comparison
Cape Coral, FL vs Cincinnati, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cape Coral, FL are 7.3% higher than in Cincinnati, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cincinnati, OH would need about $107,300 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 $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Cape Coral, FL and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Cincinnati, OH than in Cape Coral, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.2% moving from Cape Coral, FL to Cincinnati, OH ($106,437 → $110,865), while prices change by −6.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.8% in real buying power.
- Cape Coral, FL: price level 102.3 (pricier)
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cape Coral, FL | Cincinnati, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.3 | 95.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,181 in Cincinnati | $107,318 in Cape Coral |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,638/mo | $1,051/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,780 | $50,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN |
Rent areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL MSA and Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL and Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cape Coral | Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 87.6 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 86.9 | 91.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 102.3 | 95.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cape Coral, FL → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
92 Strong offer
Cincinnati, OH → Cape Coral, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.8%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
47 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cape Coral, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Cincinnati, OH is in Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Cape Coral, FL to Cincinnati, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cape Coral, FL | Cincinnati, OH | Real change, Cape Coral → Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,290 | +11.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,785 | +11.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,231 | +11.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $110,865 | +11.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,009 | +11.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cape Coral, FL | Cincinnati, OH | Cincinnati pay in Cape Coral dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,470 | $64,740 | $69,478 (+14.9%) |
| Software Developers | $126,940 | $121,420 | $130,305 (+2.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,420 | $80,640 | $86,541 (+9.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $83,650 | $89,771 (+8.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.