City comparison
Cape Coral, FL vs Fresno, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Cape Coral, FL (102.3) and Fresno, CA (102.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Cape Coral, FL goes as far as $99,800 in Fresno, CA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,638 a month in Cape Coral, FL versus $1,355 in Fresno, CA. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Cape Coral, FL and 22% in Fresno, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Cape Coral, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.5% moving from Cape Coral, FL to Fresno, CA ($106,437 → $106,973), while prices change by −0.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.7% in real buying power.
- Cape Coral, FL: price level 102.3 (pricier)
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cape Coral, FL | Fresno, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.3 | 102.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,813 in Fresno | $100,187 in Cape Coral |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,638/mo | $1,355/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,780 | $46,910 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA |
Rent areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL MSA and Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL and Fresno, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cape Coral | Fresno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 95.7 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 86.9 | 161.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 102.3 | 102.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cape Coral, FL → Fresno, CA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
69 Fair offer
Fresno, CA → Cape Coral, FL
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cape Coral, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Fresno, CA is in Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Cape Coral, FL to Fresno, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cape Coral, FL | Fresno, CA | Real change, Cape Coral → Fresno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,033 | +0.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,055 | +0.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,959 | +0.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,973 | +0.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,410 | +0.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cape Coral, FL | Fresno, CA | Fresno pay in Cape Coral dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,470 | $78,800 | $78,947 (+30.6%) |
| Software Developers | $126,940 | $129,060 | $129,301 (+1.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,420 | $78,690 | $78,837 (−0.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $125,420 | $125,654 (+51.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.