City comparison
Cape Coral, FL vs Memphis, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cape Coral, FL are 11.0% higher than in Memphis, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Memphis, TN would need about $111,000 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 $1,154 in Memphis, TN. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Cape Coral, FL and 17% in Memphis, TN.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in FL and $0 in TN.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Cape Coral, FL to Memphis, TN changes real buying power by +11.0%, purely from prices.
- Cape Coral, FL: price level 102.3 (pricier)
- Memphis, TN: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cape Coral, FL | Memphis, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.3 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,063 in Memphis | $111,033 in Cape Coral |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,638/mo | $1,154/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,780 | $46,890 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL MSA and Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL and Memphis, TN-MS-AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cape Coral | Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 86.9 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 95.4 |
| Overall | 102.3 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cape Coral, FL → Memphis, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
100 Strong offer
Memphis, TN → Cape Coral, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.9%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Cape Coral, FL to Memphis, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cape Coral, FL | Memphis, TN | Real change, Cape Coral → Memphis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +11.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +11.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +11.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +11.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +11.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cape Coral, FL | Memphis, TN | Memphis pay in Cape Coral dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,470 | $61,510 | $68,296 (+12.9%) |
| Software Developers | $126,940 | $125,580 | $139,435 (+9.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,420 | $76,960 | $85,451 (+7.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $81,500 | $90,492 (+9.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.