City comparison
Cape Coral, FL vs Des Moines, IA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cape Coral, FL are 11.6% higher than in Des Moines, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Des Moines, IA would need about $111,600 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 $1,109 in Des Moines, IA. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Cape Coral, FL and 18% in Des Moines, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,148 a year higher in Des Moines, IA than in Cape Coral, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.8% moving from Cape Coral, FL to Des Moines, IA ($106,437 → $107,301), while prices change by −10.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +12.5% in real buying power.
- Cape Coral, FL: price level 102.3 (pricier)
- Des Moines, IA: price level 91.7 (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 | Des Moines, IA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.3 | 91.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,596 in Des Moines | $111,612 in Cape Coral |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,638/mo | $1,109/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,148 (IA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,780 | $51,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA |
Rent areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL MSA and Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL and Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cape Coral | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 84.7 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 86.9 | 84.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 92.9 |
| Overall | 102.3 | 91.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cape Coral, FL → Des Moines, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,148/yr.
100 Strong offer
Des Moines, IA → Cape Coral, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.4%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$3,148/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cape Coral, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Des Moines, IA is in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Cape Coral, FL to Des Moines, IA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cape Coral, FL | Des Moines, IA | Real change, Cape Coral → Des Moines |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,223 | +12.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,284 | +12.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,234 | +12.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,301 | +12.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,797 | +12.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cape Coral, FL | Des Moines, IA | Des Moines pay in Cape Coral dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,470 | $61,650 | $68,809 (+13.8%) |
| Software Developers | $126,940 | $126,460 | $141,144 (+11.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,420 | $79,290 | $88,497 (+11.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $78,630 | $87,760 (+5.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.