City comparison
Cape Coral, FL vs Kansas City, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cape Coral, FL are 10.6% higher than in Kansas City, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Kansas City, MO would need about $110,600 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 $1,197 in Kansas City, MO. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Cape Coral, FL and 19% in Kansas City, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,763 a year higher in Kansas City, MO than in Cape Coral, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.6% moving from Cape Coral, FL to Kansas City, MO ($106,437 → $108,173), while prices change by −9.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +12.4% in real buying power.
- Cape Coral, FL: price level 102.3 (pricier)
- Kansas City, MO: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cape Coral, FL | Kansas City, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.3 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,419 in Kansas City | $110,596 in Cape Coral |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,638/mo | $1,197/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,780 | $50,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS |
Rent areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL MSA and Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL and Kansas City, MO-KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cape Coral | Kansas City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 86.6 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 86.9 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 93.4 |
| Overall | 102.3 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cape Coral, FL → Kansas City, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$3,763/yr.
100 Strong offer
Kansas City, MO → Cape Coral, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.6%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$3,763/yr.
39 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cape Coral, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Kansas City, MO is in Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS. The last column shows what a transfer from Cape Coral, FL to Kansas City, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cape Coral, FL | Kansas City, MO | Real change, Cape Coral → Kansas City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,729 | +12.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,897 | +12.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,968 | +12.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,173 | +12.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,829 | +12.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cape Coral, FL | Kansas City, MO | Kansas City pay in Cape Coral dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,470 | $61,060 | $67,530 (+11.7%) |
| Software Developers | $126,940 | $124,990 | $138,234 (+8.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,420 | $80,040 | $88,521 (+11.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $83,040 | $91,839 (+10.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.