City comparison
Cape Coral, FL vs Corpus Christi, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cape Coral, FL are 10.4% higher than in Corpus Christi, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Corpus Christi, TX would need about $110,400 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 $1,117 in Corpus Christi, TX. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Cape Coral, FL and 17% in Corpus Christi, TX.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in FL and $0 in TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.5% moving from Cape Coral, FL to Corpus Christi, TX ($106,437 → $106,955), while prices change by −9.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.0% in real buying power.
- Cape Coral, FL: price level 102.3 (pricier)
- Corpus Christi, TX: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cape Coral, FL | Corpus Christi, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.3 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,544 in Corpus Christi | $110,443 in Cape Coral |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,638/mo | $1,117/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,780 | $45,350 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX |
Rent areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL MSA and Corpus Christi, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL and Corpus Christi, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cape Coral | Corpus Christi |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 84.9 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 86.9 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 102.3 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cape Coral, FL → Corpus Christi, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
100 Strong offer
Corpus Christi, TX → Cape Coral, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.5%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
39 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cape Coral, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Corpus Christi, TX is in Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX. The last column shows what a transfer from Cape Coral, FL to Corpus Christi, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cape Coral, FL | Corpus Christi, TX | Real change, Cape Coral → Corpus Christi |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,023 | +11.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,042 | +11.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,943 | +11.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,955 | +11.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,389 | +11.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cape Coral, FL | Corpus Christi, TX | Corpus Christi pay in Cape Coral dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,470 | $60,210 | $66,498 (+10.0%) |
| Software Developers | $126,940 | $123,580 | $136,486 (+7.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,420 | $75,580 | $83,473 (+5.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $82,690 | $91,326 (+10.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.